Sakura's Heart
by Lylan Alainn Shade
Summary: Life in Konoha is good for Sakura Haruno. She has become the top Medic Kunoichi as well as surpassing her Shishou, Lady Tsunade, but just as she is the most comfortable her world get turned upside down. The sudden return of Sasuke disrupts her content lifestyle but it only gets worse when the thought to be dead Itachi re-surfaces. Slight Saku/Sasu in the beginning Ita/Saku later on
1. Chapter 1 - Unexpected Surprise

**Disclaimer:**_ I own nothing! Naruto is not my creation, I am just a fan like everyone else. This story is not going to be Canon so I don't want to hear complaints, just go with it. I changed some important events on purpose, or took them out completely. If I didn't, I wouldn't have a story and that wouldn't be fun at all!_

**_Chapter 1 - Unexpected Surprise_**

**_::_**

It was early in the morning, the mist from dawn was still lingering just above the grass on the training field. No sounds could be heard except for the think of Kunai hitting it's intended targets. The pink haired Kunoichi spent a lot of her time on these fields when she wasn't on missions or doing her duties at the hospital. She became determined to make herself a strong fighter, not wanting to feel like she was the weakest on missions. Over her time as a ninja, she watched all of her teammates excel at their arts and felt a bit useless because she had no great contributing factors to bring into any battles.

She had been training under Lady Tsunade for a couple years now, sure she had become a lot stronger then when she was with Team 7, but she felt that there was far more she could do before she was satisfied with her abilities. It wasn't that she was trying to impress anyone, this was for herself so that she could look at herself in the mirror and know that she could be a valuable asset during missions.

As she continued to aim her Kunai at the targets, she infused them with her Chakra just as her mentor had shown her. Next, she filled her arm with Chakra though it wasn't visible, and swung her arm back, getting ready to release it's fury.

"Sakura!" A loud, obnoxious voice echoed throughout the field, causing her to send her Chakra filled Kunai into the trees. A high pitched shriek irrupted as a very irritated Naruto ran out of the forest and glared at her.

"You could have hit me with that! What did I ever do to you?" He demanded as he walked towards her. As he got closer, she could see a visible tear in his jacket where the Kunai barely missed him.

"Naruto, you idiot! You were the one interrupting me in the middle of training!" Sakura yelled back at him, her fist raised as if she wanted to hit him, which of course, she did.

"I came to find you, I have something important to tell you!" Naruto grinned, almost forgetting his near death experience at the hands of Sakura.

"Well spit it out so I can get back to my training!" She gritted her teeth and spoke. Knowing Naruto, it was probably something dumb like Ichiraku coming up with a new flavor.

"I bet once you know what I have to tell you, you won't want to train anymore today." He laughed slightly, noticing her irritation grow.

"Are you going to tell me or do I have to throw another Kunai at you?" Sakura rather liked the idea of throwing another Kunai at him, maybe it would stop his incessant need to pester her.

"But Sakura, I just found out that early this morning the guards stopped someone at the gate. It was Sasuke, he said he had finally returned home to us!" He jumped up and down, resembling a school girl. Sakura raised an eyebrow at his excited jumping and stepped back.

"That's not something you should joke about, Naruto. You know as well as I do that Sasuke would never return." She turned away from him, digging another Kunai out and aimed it at a target.

"I'm not joking, Sakura! Sasuke is with Grandma Tsunade right now!" Naruto had finally stopped his jumping but was still smiling and talking quickly.

"Good then. I hope she has him arrested by ANBU for treachery and is locked up for the rest of his miserable, useless life!" Sakura looked at Naruto and noticed a look of hurt on his face. She instantly regretted saying it but didn't show it. She shook her head and turned away, walking to the targets and collecting her Kunai without saying another word to him. She left Naruto standing in the middle of the field, watching her walk away as he registered her new found disdain for Sasuke.

She was walking through the forest, on her way back to her apartment, fuming at Naruto for interrupting her with such crap. He didn't come back, its just another rumor. Even if he really did return, she never wanted to see him, she loathed him.

'How could you say such mean things about our Sasuke?' Inner Sakura screamed at her, obviously protesting the very thought of hating him.

"Oh shut up." She wasn't aware that she spoke this out loud, at least there was nobody around to hear her. Inner Sakura tried to continue to push the subject but she just ignored it. She went home and cleaned up before her shift at the hospital, actually feeling optimistic that maybe her duties would distract her from today's events.

_**::**_

_**End Chapter 1**_

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_Please review, this is my first Fan Fiction story and I am eager to know if anyone likes it. If you do like it, there is more to come! I have already hand-written a good chunk of it so all I have to do is edit and post!_


	2. Chapter 2 - Why Me?

_Second Chapter! Woo-Hoo! _

**_Chapter 2 - Why Me?_**

**_::_**

Sakura's shift at the hospital had been a very long one though it was pretty easy, which she prefered. Mending bones, healing wounds and treating illnesses were fairly simple for her, Lady Tsunade had trained her well in the Medical-Nin field.

On her way home, she stopped by a corner market to pick up a few vegetables and some noodles. By the time her shift had ended, she had forgotten about Naruto's news earlier that morning which wasn't a big issue to her. She had other things to worry about than who came back to the village and who didn't. As she left the market, she yawned, closing her eyes in the process, her bag of groceries were in one hand. Suddenly, she felt a hand enclose around her free arm, startling her. She let out a slight scream and dropped her bag, swinging her now free fist towards the one who had grabbed her. unfortunately for her, her fist was caught in mid-swing.

"Sakura, you wouldn't really hit me, would you?" That voice... she looked up at the one who had spoken and nearly lost her balance.

"S... Sasuke?" She looked at him, stunned by Naruto actually telling her the truth.

"Yes, I came back to the Leaf, my goal has been accomplished." Sasuke smirked at her, still holding onto her fist and arm in his firm grasp.

"Let go of me, Sasuke!" Sakura tried to pull away from him but he wouldn't let go, he just continued to smirk at her.

"Is that really how you would greet a former Teammate?" There was something about the way he was looking at her that unnerved her.

"I don't see a former teammate, I see a traitor. Now let go of me!" She yanked her arm and fist free this time, standing straight and staring him down. She hated everything about who he had become and just wanted to get away from him.

"Not according to the Hokage, she noted that it wasn't my fault." Sasuke let out a very odd sounding laugh before stepping closer to Sakura.

"I really don't care, just leave me alone." She bent down and picked up her bag then turned, wanting more than anything to get as far away from him as she could.

She began to walk away but before she could go too far, Sasuke appeared in front of her, his hands in his pockets. She now noticed that he was wearing something similar to what he used to wear before running away from Konoha.

"I really doubt you have any pressing matters that need your attention. I am actually a little surprised you aren't throwing yourself at me like you used to. That was so annoying." Sasuke blocked her way as she tried to walk around him, he obviously had no intention of letting her get away easily.

"It's called growing up and getting over stupid juvenile crushes. Now please move, you're in my way." She spoke firmly, her emerald eyes reflected her disdain for this man.

"This new attitude of yours doesn't suit you well, Sakura, though I kind of like it." His tone was mocking, she shuddered slightly at the way it sounded.

"What do you want, Sasuke? You have no business with me and I really don't have time for this crap!" She glared at him before finally managing to walk around him. She set her jaw as he tried to stop her again but thankfully she heard Naruto calling for him. Sakura walked away before Naruto could delay her as well, rounding a corner and removing her from their sight.

"You can't avoid me forever, Sakura." She heard Sasuke's voice behind her in the distance. She shuddered again and ran the rest of the way home, locking herself in her apartment. Locking her door behind her, she collapsed onto her couch and tried to forget that today had never happened.

_**::**_

_**End Chapter 2**_

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_Please review, more to come soon! I know it's a short chapter but it still works :3_


	3. Chapter 3 - Go Away!

_Yay! Third chapter done!_

**_Chapter 3 - Go Away!_**

**_::_**

The next morning, Sakura got up later than usual. Her dreams were filled with memories of her past, mostly with Sasuke and from being part of Team 7. Her last dream was when Sasuke left Konoha to join Orochimaru. The last thing she could remember about that night was Sasuke knocking her out then when she woke up he was gone. Since she had given up hope about him returning, she had tried her best to try to forget about that night but seeing Sasuke yesterday brought up everything she had managed to lock away.

When she finally woke up, she turned onto her other side and sat up on her elbow as she looked at her clock.

_11:07_

"Oh no! I'm late for my shift!" She nearly fell out of bed as she fought with the blanket to release her. When she finally managed to stand up straight, she grabbed her clothes and rushed to her bathroom, taking a quick shower.

When she had dressed, she grabbed her headband off the kitchen counter and walked out the door. Sakura didn't normally like to leap around on the roofs in Konoha, but today it was called for. This way she managed to get to the Hospital in a matter of minutes. She rushed past the reception desk speaking her apologies and grabbed her patient list.

Scanning the list as she walked towards the first room, she didn't even notice that someone had been behind her as she walked.

"Where are you going in such a hurry?" Sakura stopped dead in her tracks... that voice... She turned around slowly, dreading that it was who she thought it was.

"Sasuke, I don't have time for you now, I am incredibly late and need to get things done!" Why was he here? He hardly ever came to the hospital when he was seriously injured. Just to show up for no reason was highly unusual.

"Don't be so rude, I am sure you could spare a few minutes." He had a slight smirk on his lips as he spoke in a mocking tone. Oh how she wanted to hit him right then.

"I actually can't. Unless you are here for a different reason, I need to ask you to leave." Sakura didn't wait for a response, she just turned around and walked through a set of double doors hoping that would be the last time she saw him today, but unfortunately for her it wasn't.

"I thought we were friends, Sakura. I was under the impression that you would be happy to see me now that I am finally back in Konoha." Sasuke pushed his way through the same doors, following Sakura as she headed to her first patients room. She turned with her eyes closed, clearly frustrated.

"We are NOT friends and I would have been more happy to see you die then return. Now GO AWAY!" As she spoke, her voice became higher until her last few words were shouted. Her face turned a few darker shades of red as she tried to control her temper but was losing.

"Such cruel words from such a love-obsessed little girl." Sasuke was mocking her again and she felt herself slipping out of control. She set her jaw and clenched her fists trying everything she could to not hit him.

"I am NOT love-obsessed and I am no little girl! As I told you yesterday I have grown up and gotten over you! You were the one who abandoned the village and your team to go chasing after power and seek vengeance. Any other person would have let it go but you were too pig-headed to listen to any of us! You acted like you didn't have anyone else who cared for you no matter what we said. I hate you, Uchiha Sasuke! Now go away!" She turned on her heel and entered a room, closing it fast so that he wouldn't have a opportunity to follow her.

Sasuke remained in the hall well after Sakura disappeared into the room. What the hell was wrong with her? He remembered the weak little girl who used to fall over him when they were younger? It's not that he really cared how she felt about him but he had gotten used to every girl who he met falling for him.

Setting his jaw, he walked out of the hospital with his hands shoved in his pockets. Since he had arrived back in Konoha, he had gone back to wearing the same style of clothing that he used to wear when he was younger, the only difference was that the shirt was black, similar to what he remembered his older brother wearing. The Uchiha crest was clearly sewn on the back although it was a little faded from time.

As he walked back to the new apartment that the Hokage had given him, he glared at anyone who dared to look his way. He had nearly arrived back at home when Naruto caught up with him.

"Sasuke! Wait up!" Naruto had spotted Sasuke from his perch on top of a roof. He had waited there for a while, hoping to see him.

"Hn." Sasuke turned and looked at the blond idiot, his hands still shoved in his pockets. He was clearly in a very bad mood.

"What's with the face?" Naturo raised an eyebrow at the scowl on his friends face and had to try to stop himself from laughing. All these years and he never changed when it came to being in bad moods.

"Leave me alone, Dobe." Sasuke turned around and walked away.

"Have you spoken with Sakura yet?" Clearly Naruto didn't take the hint that Sasuke wanted to be left alone. He walked next to him, that same goofball smile on his face.

"That's none of your business, go away." He mumbled as he pushed his way into the apartment building and walked up the stairs. Thankfully, Naruto didn't follow him though.

Back at the hospital, Sakura finished with her patients while playing her conversation with Sasuke over and over. She meant every word she said so why did she feel bad about it? By the time her shift was over, she had become mentally and physically exhausted.

As she walked out of the hospital, she found Naruto waiting for her outside.

"Hello, Sakura! How was your shift?" He smiled at her, the past few years they have become closer, he was like a brother to her. A very annoying brother.

"exhausting, I just want to go home and lay down." Sakura walked down the steps to the street and headed towards her home. Naruto walked next to her, his arms behind his head.

"Did you see Sasuke yet?" He looked at her and watched her roll her eyes.

"Yes, he found me last night then was waiting for me at the hospital today." She didn't go into detail though, not wanting to repeat the harsh words she had told Sasuke.

"I see, so what happened?" Clearly Naruto wasn't going to drop the subject.

"Nothing, I just told him what I think of him and walked away. I just wish he would leave me alone." Her face turned a shade darker as she spoke, her frustration returning.

"Oh... okay then so you aren't happy to see him?" He pushed on, trying to get her to tell him what she was thinking.

"No I am not. Can we please drop this now?" She shot a glare at Naruto, trying her best to control her frustration. After all, it wasn't Naruto's fault... at least she hoped it wasn't.

"Okay, I won't say another word after this." He stepped infront of her and looked at her in the eyes. "He has been through alot and I know he did some pretty bad things and made terrible choices but it's our duties to make him feel at home here."

Sakura snorted, trying to hold back the laughter that tried to escape. Shaking her head, she tried to walk around Naruto but he wouldn't let her go.

"I'm serious, Sakura. The Hokage gave him a pardon and accepted him back into Konoha. We are the only ones here who will trust him at this point, do you really want to drive him away again?" Naruto's eyes were pleading as she shifted from one foot to the other.

"I really don't care if he stays or leaves. After he tried to kill me, I just can't trust someone like that. He wanted me dead, Naruto! I want nothing to do with that bastard!" She spoke in a low tone with her teeth clenched together. Naruto just looked at her as she walked past him and rounded a corner, disappearing from sight.

Soon she found herself at home. She locked her door and sat on the couch, breathing slowly as she tried to control the anger that was welling up inside. After awhile she took a shower then went to her room, deciding she wanted to just go to bed.

As she laid in bed, she rolled on to her side and looked out the window at the moon. It was full tonight and she imagined what it would be like to just go away from here, from all the hurt she had to go through and would probably face in the future. With a sigh, she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

_**::**_

_**End Chapter 3**_

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_Please review! This is a longer chapter, I hope you all like it! I enjoyed writing this, just a note, I am still working on the character development so any ideas or comments about them would be appreciated! _


	4. Chapter 4 - Annoying

_How awesome is this?! Chapter 4 is here and Chapter 5 is in the works! This story has been fun to write so far and I hope it brings everyone some good Sasuke-hating joy~ (detests Sasuke with a passion!)_

_**Chapter 4 - Annoying**_

_**::**_

It had been nearly a week since news of Uchiha Sasuke's return to Konoha. The last time Sakura had seen Sasuke since his arrival was about four days ago and needless to say she was an emotional cocktail ranging from irritation, loathing, fear, and just plan stubbornness. She had no wanting to run into the young Uchiha, so she limited her outings to shopping and her hospital duties. The rest of her time she spent locked away in her apartment, arguing with Inner Sakura about her stubbornness.

**_'Just go talk to him and find out what he wants! Never know, he probably wants to apologize!' _**Inner Sakura squealed at the idea of Sasuke down on his knees, begging for her forgiveness.

_'Oh please! The only reason he is here is because he obviously killed his brother and has no other reason to be away. I just know he has an ulterior motive to his actions and I refuse to go crawling back to him!' _Sakura shot back at Inner, fuming as she was laying, sprawled out on her couch. She had been laying here for nearly an hour now, one leg hung over the arm of the couch, the other stretched up over the back. As she argued with Inner, the book she had failed at trying to read slid off her stomach and onto the floor with a light thunk.

_**'Will you stop being so damn stubborn?! He used to be your teammate and object of your obsessions! He's our Sasuke!'**_Inner complained as Sakura rolled her eyes.

_'He is NOT our Sasuke, never was and sure as hell never will be! I don't want that arrogant, self-centered, jackass anywhere near me!' _Sakura refused to let Inner win this debate. After all, it had taken Sakura quite a few years to get over Sasuke and she would be damned if she let him back into her life just because he came home.

_**'I give up! Your absolutely**_** hopeless!'** Inner walked away with her hands up in the air, having had enough of Sakura's attitude. Sakura didn't care, if it meant she would get a few moments of peace. She was about to pick her book up off the floor when she heard something fall in her room.

Shooting to her feet, she reached for her kunai that she always kept with her and walked quickly to her room, not making a sound. Her door was open, she never had a reason to close it so she pressed her back to the wall just outside, held her kunai at chest height and peeked around the corner. She caught slight movement and took a deep breath before charging into her room, grabbing hold of the intruder with one chakra infused hand and pushed them against the wall, her other hand bringing the kunai to their neck. It took her a moment to realize who she had just pinned.

"Sasuke?!" She shot a glare at him, her face inches from his as she kept him pinned, her hand pressed against his chest.

"Hn." He glared back at her, his hands moved to her wrists instinctively.

"What the _hell_ are you doing in my home?!" She growled at him, pressing the kunai's blade a little more into his throat, causing a few drops of blood to flow.

"Do you mind removing that kunai from my neck." Sasuke spoke in his cool tone, thinking to himself that if he really wanted to, he could easily push her away and immobilize her but chose not to, wanting to see how far she would go.

"Answer my question first." Sakura glared at him more, not budging.

"I came to see one of my teammates." His answer infuriated Sakura to no end.

"I am not your teammate! I haven't been in years! You have no right to just come in here!" Sakura was barely speaking above a whisper as her tone took a dangerous turn.

"So you don't know. Whatever, release me and I will leave." Sasuke half smirked as he saw her face contort into a confused mess. Without speaking another word, Sakura released Sasuke, grabbed his shirt collar and forcefully dragged him out of the bedroom to the livingroom and nearly threw him out into the hallway outside of her apartment. She watched him straighten himself and turn to say something else but she didn't give him the chance.

SLAM!

The door shut with enough force to cause one of her family pictures to fall from its place on the wall, effectively shattering the glass. Cursing to herself and her inhuman strength, she fetched her broom and began to clean up the mess.

_~3 Hours Later~_

Sakura made her way through the streets of Konoha, intent on finding out once and for all from Tsunade if what Sasuke said had any truth in it. She tried her hardest after Sasuke left to forget what he said but it had been in vein. Damn him and his ability to get under her skin.

The Hokage Tower loomed in the distance as Sakura walked, scowling with every step. She was lost in her thoughts when she felt someone grab her wrist. Filling her fist with chakra, she swung around fully intending on hitting the person who had stopped her.

"Sakura, stop!" A startled Naruto ducked just in time, if he had been struck with that hit he would have been knocked out instantly.

Sakura heard Naruto's voice and stopped the flow of chakra, dropping her arm to her side.

"What, Naruto! I'm busy!" She spat at him, instantly regretting it when she saw the look in his face. Naruto had quickly became one of her best friends and was like a brother to her. If it wasn't for him, she wouldn't have survived the hurt that Sasuke had caused those many years ago.

"Where are you going? I'm heading to see Grandma Tsunade, I was told she wanted to speak with us and I figured we could walk together." Naruto grinned in his usual innocent way as he scratched the back of his head.

"Oh... I didn't know we were summoned but I was heading there anyway." Sakura took a deep breath, calming herself down a bit.

"Sasuke said you threw him out of your place today, what was that about?" Naruto asked, genuinely curious.

"He deserved it! He thought he could just waltz into my apartment whenever he wants!" Sakura spat out defensively. After her actions, Inner had yelled at her again. Clearly Inner wasn't over Sasuke and wasn't ready to try anytime soon.

"Uh huh, that's not how he told it." Naruto eyed Sakura but she didn't have time to respond, they had arrived at the Hokage Tower. Within moments they were standing outside of the Hokage's office, knocking on the door. From within, they heard a slightly irritated voice spoke.

"Enter!" Sakura pushed the door open and walked inside followed closely by Naruto. It didn't take long for Sakura to notice that Sasuke was standing close to Tsunade's desk, staring at them expressionless.

"What the hell is _he_ doing in here?!" It took every ounce of strength Sakura had to not yell when she saw him. Tsunade raised an eyebrow at her apprentice's reaction at seeing the young Uchiha.

"I am going to ignore that outburst, Sakura, but don't let it happen again." Lady Tsunade had folded her fingers together and rested her elbows on her desk as she gave Sakura a look that only she could decipher.

"Yes, M'lady." Sakura looked at the floor, feeling her face flush.

"Now lets get to business, I am tired and not in the mood. As of right now, under the guide of Hatake Kakashi, Team 7 is hereby re-enstated consisting of you three." She noticed Sakura was about to object and held her hand up." The reason for this is because all three of you have individually received training from the three legendary Sannin. Sasuke, you learned under Orochimaru for quite a few years, Naruto, you studied under Jiraiya and Sakura, under me. I am curious to see what would happen with the three of you working together. Kakashi will still be the team leader but you are all on equal grounds seeing as you are all now Jounin." Tsunade looked at each one in turn. Sasuke didn't show any reaction but she thought she caught a slight smirk, Naruto was nearly bouncing in place and Sakura looked absolutely horrified but remained silent.

"Good, I am glad there are no objections. Now to move on to the second reason why I brought you here. Sasuke has voiced concerns with me about his current roommate. apparently..." Tsunade eyed the blond boy. "There are distractions and it has become an unproductive enviroment. That is why as of today, Sakura you will be receiving Sasuke as a roommate and will ready your guest room for him." Naruto's face dropped with disappointment, clearly unhappy about these new developments. Sakura on the other hand, looked as if she wanted to strangle anybody she could get her hands on, but surprisingly remained silent still.

"This is turning out getter then I expected, I am happy to hear no complaints. Now, onto the third and final reason I brought you here. I will be assigning you a mission. It will be a simple escort mission to the Land of Rain. An important figure has been staying in Konoha and needs to return to his city. Your task will be to escort this man and ensure that nothing happens to him. After that, return here and report to me. The point of this mission is to test you three on how you work together." Tsunade had stood up during her assignment detail and walked around the desk, her hands clasped together behind her back.

"Yes, Hokage! (Believe it!)" All three spoke at once, Naruto adding his usual catch phrase at the end.

"Good, you are dismissed." She turned her back on them and walked over to her cabinet containing her precious Sake. Sakura was the last to leave the room, she wanted to stay and debate the orders but her fear of her Shishu was greater then her hatred of Sasuke.

With a sigh, Sakura walked out of the tower to find both Naruto and Sasuke waiting for her.

"How about some Ramen?" Naruto was almost giddy from excitement, the news of their team being restored was overwhelming. Sakura felt the same way but it was in a different context.

"No, I need to go home and prepare for my _roommate_." She shot a glare at Sasuke before walking away. She could feel their eyes boring into her back but didn't care. The last thing she heard before rounding a corner was Naruto.

"Is she PMSing?" He sincerely sounded curious, which annoyed Sakura even more.

One word for this entire day, annoying! Clear and simple.

_**::**_

_**End Chapter 4**_

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_Please read and review! I hoped you enjoyed this chapter! _


	5. Chapter 5 - The Mission

_Chapter 5 is here, hope you all enjoy!_

**_Chapter 5 - The Mission_**

**_::_**

Sakura had been at home for about an hour now, grumbling as she cleaned her apartment. Her unwanted roommate would probably be arriving soon and she wanted to get everything done so that once she let him in, she could go to her room and be alone. Her room was now the only place left in Konoha where she felt she could truly be alone.

Her spare bedroom had a bed in it and she regularly changed the sheets since she sometimes had friends stay over if their studying had gone on too late into the night.

With a sigh, she finished cleaning the last part of her apartment and sat down on the couch. Wiping the sweat from her forehead, she nearly jumped off the couch when she heard a firm knock on her door. Grudgingly, she got up after recovering from the startle, she walked to the door and opened it, exposing Sasuke. 'Huh, Naruto didn't come with him.'

Stepping aside, she reluctantly allowed the stone faced Uchiha into her apartment, rolling her eyes inwardly as he ignored her. She noticed he had a small bag over his shoulder and assumed his belongings were inside. Once he was in, she closed the door, locked it and walked over to the counter where her spare key was laying and turned to Sasuke, thrusting it into his hand rather roughly before turning and walking down the hall. She stopped just outside her door and pointed to the door directly across from hers.

"You're room." She stated flatly before she pointed at the door at the end of the hall, between theirs. "Bathroom." Turning to face her door, she opened it and just before stepping inside she looked at him. "My room, stay out." With that she walked into her room and slammed the door, shaking the walls and causing yet another picture to fall from the wall, the glass shattering into pieces.

Sakura heard the picture break but didn't care, she would rather leave it there and hope he stepped on it. The thought of the Uchiha having glass embedded into his feet amused her, causing her to let out a light giggle.

_**'That's not funny! He could be seriously hurt!'**_Inner Sakura yelled at her, clearly not seeing the humor in the image.

_'Oh shut up, I don't want to hear you right now.'_ Sakura yelled at herself before flinging herself onto the bed and looking out the window. The way that she laid, her view of the tree outside was upside down.

Yet again, a knock at her door caused her to jump. What was it with people startling her out of her thoughts.

"What!" She growled through gritted teeth.

"I'm hungry." Sasuke's voice came through the door, sounding rather bored.

"Then. Make. Something." Sakura tried her best to refrain from yelling but did he really need to be this needy?

"Hn." He replied before she heard him walking back out into the livingroom. Sighing inwardly, she knew this was going to be a very long evening.

Standing up, she paced around her room quietly, trying to listen for any sounds. Freezing when she thought she heard something until she finally heard him walk towards her door and the opposite door open then close indicating he had gone into his new room.

"Finally!" She whispered barely audible. Trying her best to open and close her own door silently.

Walking quietly until she was out of ear shot, she opened her fridge and looked for a quick snack that she could take back to her only refuge. She bent down, looking further in when she heard a voice behind her.

"I thought you said you grew up but you are just as emotional as ever." He spoke cooly, smirking slightly when he startled Sakura, causing her to hit her head against the inside of the fridge with an audible thud.

"Damnit, Sasuke! It's bad enough that you are living here now, just leave me alone!" She stood up and faced him, filling her hand with green chakra and holding it to the now throbbing part of her head, easing the pain.

"Make me dinner." He grunted as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Hell no! I am not your servant and I refuse to act like one." Sakura walked past Sasuke, purposely bumping her shoulder into his as she glared.

"Sakura, stop." Sasuke spoke coldly as he turned, grabbing her wrist before she got too far away. Sakura instantly became furious and swung around, filling her free hand with blue chakra and slammed her fist down on Sasuke's wrist, effectively freeing her own hand as she heard the noticable sound of his bones breaking.

The look of surprise mixed with pain rushed to Sasuke's pain as he held his wrist to his chest, glaring at Sakura. 'I can't believe that she actually hurt me!' he thought to himself, watching her retreat to her room, closing the door behind.

Sakura was shaking now, she didn't think she would have hurt him that badly, and she didn't want to stick around and feel the after effects. Sitting down on her bed, she imagined what Tsunade would do once she found out that her apprentice injured Sasuke.

She was snapped back to reality when her door swung open with force. A very irritated looking Sasuke stood there, glaring at her, his injured wrist still held at his chest.

"Fix it!" Sasuke said as he stood there.

"No. Go to the hospital." She spit out, turning her back to him. The next thing she knew, she was being pinned down to her bed, Sasuke sitting on her as his face was inches from hers. (A/N: Keep it clean people, its not what you think.)

"I said fix it." He sneered at her, his other hand tightening its grip on her shoulder, causing her to wince.

"Alright just get off of me!" She yelled back at him.

He slid off of her but remained sitting next to her as she sat up and rubbed her shoulder. Adjusting herself on the bed, she felt Sasuke's eyes burning into her until she looked back up at him.

Without speaking, she reached over to him, gingerly took his hand into one of hers, supporting his broken wrist carefully. Using her other hand, she reached behind herself and brought one of her fluffy pillows before her and placed it down in her lap. Sasuke sat silently as he watched her, the stone expression returning. Sakura laid his hand down on the pillow, his wrist in the center causing his fingers to brush against her stomach. After she was certain that his wrist was in a good position, she filled her hands with green chakra and hovered them an inch above, sending relief into Sasuke's throbbing bones.

He watched her as she concentrated, slightly intrigued by how easily this seemed to her. The mending took about a half hour to complete, she really did a number on his bones. She needed to make sure that he would still have function of his hand and it took time to move all of the pieces into place.

When she was done, she moved her hands away, still not looking up to meet his eyes. The medical training kicked in awhile ago and that was how she maintained being able to heal the man she despised above all else.

"Try to move your fingers." She stated flatly and watched as he did easily. "Good, your healed, you can leave now." She slapped his hand off her pillow and returned it back to its place behind her and looked out her window, trying to pretend he wasn't there.

"No." He stated emotionless.

"What do you want from me?!" She sounded stressed with this statement, finally meeting his gaze.

"We are teammates again. In order to work together, whatever problem you have with me needs to be resolved." She wasn't used to hearing him speak so much at once. This man never cared about somebody elses feelings and it struck her as strange that he seemed to actually care.

Sakura's face turned a shade darker as she became angry again. How dare he demand her to forget about her hatred for him. She quickly shot to her feet and ran for her door but much to her dismay, Sasuke caught her around her waist and threw her over his shoulder easily. She slammed her fists into his lower back though they were not filled with chakra and demanded to be put down.

"You aren't going to leave until I say you can. Why are you so mad at me?" He dropped her back down on her bed and sat down beside her again. The pinkette glared at him, her arms crossed over her chest. After a few moments, Sakura sighed inwardly and decided to get it over with.

"Fine. I despise you. You abandoned Konoha. You betrayed your friends. You broke me. End of story." She spat the words out at him and glared at him again before turning her gaze out the window.

"Konoha has forgiven me as well as Naruto. It's your fault that you let me break you. I didn't ask you to feel that way." He said, speaking in a monotone voice.

"I know that, Sasuke. I was a dumb, stupid, foolish girl. You weren't worth any of it." Her jaw clenched as she spoke.

"Then get over it and accept that I am back and we need to work together from now on." Sasuke said. Sakura didn't know if she was imagining it, but she detected a slight hint of pleading in his voice.

"Sasuke, I can't just accept you back. Ever since I can remember you have always treated me like crap and I refuse to let that happen again." Sakura said as she sighed. Why was she telling him this?

"Sakura, I had no intentions of hurting you as I seemed to have. It was your fault for letting yourself get hurt. I needed to cut my ties with Konoha in order to achieve my goal. I succeeded and now that its done, I came back to restore the Uchiha clan. I am not asking you to be the Sakura that I remember but I want you and I to be able to work together or all of our missions will fail. That is why I asked the Hokage to order you to have me as a roommate. When the time comes that we are on better terms, I will move out. Until then you are stuck with me." It was the most Sasuke has ever said to her at once. Maybe killing his brother did settle something within him.

"I can't trust you and I refuse to even try. I will ignore you and carry on with my duties." She stated emotionless.

"I will make you change your mind. Get used to it, Sakura. I am here to stay." Sasuke stated as he closed his eyes. Sakura looked up at him and noticed that he wasn't even looking at her and she sighed inwardly again. Everything about this felt wrong. The Sasuke she knew would prefer her to ignore him. What the hell happened to him? No! She couldn't let herself dwell on that, he will always be her enemy and she must treat him as such.

"Fine." That was all she let herself say. Sure, she could sit here all day and argue the point but if he was serious about what he said, it would end badly. She just wanted him out of her room so she could try to preserve the last bit of sanity she had.

"Good." He said. They sat in an awkward silence for a few moments before he stood up and walked out of her room.

'Thank Kami!' She said to herself as she laid down on her bed and closed her eyes. This was very taxing on her and she suddenly felt exhausted.

_**::**_

The next morning, Sakura was the first to arrive at the gate. Their mission was to start today and she wanted to leave her apartment before Sasuke woke so she wouldn't be forced to walk with him. The events of the day before weighed heavily on her mind and she hoped that this mission would allow her to take out some of her frustrations. She leaned against the wooden fence as she waited for the rest of her team to arrive, her arms crossed across her chest and her eyes closed.

"Hi, Sakura!" Naruto shouted as soon as he noticed her already there. Rolling her eyes inwardly, she looked at him and forced a smile.

"Hi, Naruto." She said simply, ignoring the fact that she now saw Sasuke walking next to the blond. Closing her eyes again, she ignored the Uchiha.

"Sakura, I thought we moved past this yesterday." Sasuke said, a slight hint of amusement in his voice.

"Did we?" She asked innocently, turning her emerald hues towards his onyx ones.

"Your so annoying." He said coldly, looking away from her. She giggled inwardly as she thought the same exact thing about him.

"Grandma Tsunade!" Naruto's voice cut the tension that had risen between the trio. They all looked up as the Hokage approached with who they assumed was their charge.

"Good morning, Team 7. Are you prepared for the mission?" She asked, eyeing Sakura intently.

"Yes, Lady Hokage (believe it!)" They said at once, Naruto adding, yet again, his favorite slogan.

"Good. This is Mr. Yoshima. You know the details of this mission. I am appointing Sasuke as team leader since Kakashi has other orders." Lady Tsunade said blankly before turning around and leaving them staring at her back.

'Oh great, not only do I have to work with _him_ but now I have to listen to him.' Sakura complained inwardly.

_**'What do you mean? This is going to be** great!'_ Inner Sakura chimed in. Ugh, why couldn't Inner just get over him already. She didn't even reply, feeling it was just a waste of time.

_**::**_

They had been traveling for a few days now, nothing incredibly eventful happened. It was slow going since the man they were escorting wasn't ninja trained and therefore had to walk at a normal pace. Ontop of that, it turned out that Mr. Yoshima seemed to be an older version of Naruto. Those two chatted non-stop when they were all awake, giving Sakura numerous headaches.

When they would stop to rest, Sasuke refused to leave Sakura's side. It annoyed her to no end when he followed her nearly everywhere. She racked her brain trying to figure out what this new found obsession was about and had to stop herself from hitting him with a very strong punch. It kept going like this, Naruto and Mr. Yoshima yacking by day and Sasuke acting like her shadow at other times. About a week into the travels, Sakura had finally found the breaking point.

"Sasuke! Knock it off! I don't want to talk to you nor do I want you around me! I am only here because I was ordered to! Go away!" She snapped at him, out of ear shot of the other two. Sasuke had followed her into the woods while she was trying to look for a few moments of peace. After speaking, she noticed that Sasuke looked slightly startled by her sudden mood change.

"Where did that come from? I am doing my job as team leader and insuring you are safe." He spoke mockingly.

"I have been on hundreds of missions and not one single team leader followed me around like this. So stop it!" She spat out as she glared at him.

"This is different, Naruto is protecting our client and I am protecting you. We can't have our medical-nin getting injured." He said with a slight smirk on his face.

"I. Do. Not. Need. Protecting." She stated through gritted teeth.

"Buddy system then." He said, knowing he would win this argument one way or another.

"Your so annoying, Uchiha." She said before walking away from him, heading back to their camp. It felt good to shoot his own word back at him, she felt slightly vindicated.

**_::_**

The very next morning, Sakura tried her best to remain even tempered but it was short lived when Naruto started in on his normal idiocy. However a simple fist to his head would shut him up for a little while, making her feel slightly better but it was only short lived. The client would get him worked up again on some random subject and Sakura would curse inwardly. After the fourth time of connecting her fist to the blond idiots head, she nearly ran into Sasuke who had stopped suddenly.

"We're being followed. Protect Mr. Yoshima!" He said quietly as he activated his Sharingan. For long moments, everything around them stood still until a voice sounded.

"Give us Yoshima and you three will be spared." Sasuke turned in the direction it was coming from just before a figure jumped out of the trees and smirked at them.

"Never! You will have to defeat all of us before you can take him! Believe it!" Naruto shouted towards the man.

"Shut up, Naruto." Sasuke said slowly as he looked around them. He sensed two other chakra signatures.

"Why don't your companions come out from hiding? I know they are there." Sasuke stated simply. With a chuckle, two other men leaped from the trees and formed a circle around the ninjas.

They remained still until the rogue ninjas charged at them. immediately, Naruto unleashed a swarm of shadow clones and began attacking the one coming straight at him while Sasuke formed his Chidori and ran towards his attacker. Sakura stood still as she encoated a kunai with her blue chakra. She quickly sent it hurtling at the man and it hit its target in his right shoulder. Next, she filled her fist with the same powerful chakra and ran at him. Naruto's shadow clones were easily defeated but it gave him enough time to build his Rasangan and slam it into his attackers chest, sending him flying through the trees, defeating him. Sasuke struck his attacker with his Chidori, incapacitating him easily. Last, Sakura was still involved in her fight but it was soon finished as she punched her attacker hard enough in the face, sending him flying at a tree. His face crushed under her strength and with that the attack was done. The three ninja stood silently, surveying the scene.

"Those guys were a piece of cake!" Naruto exclaimed with a grin.

"Yea, it was easy..." Sakura agreed.

"They were pathetic." Sasuke added. He looked thoughtful for a moment. "We need to find a place to stay. The next town is close by." He stated and led them away from the battlefield. After another hour of walking, they came across a small inn and decided to stay there. 'Finally, a place to myself!' Sakura squealed to herself. She really wanted a shower and quiet time. Naruto, Sasuke and Mr. Yoshima were to share a room while Sakura got one to herself. That was exactly how she wanted it.

Before returning to their rooms, they ate dinner at a local restaurant. Before they were ready to leave, Sakura stated she wanted to head back early, she was tired. Feeling more relaxed, she walked back to the inn and headed for her room, locking the door behind her.

"Ah shower, how I've missed you!" She said to the empty room just before turning the water on and stepping inside. The hot water on her aching body felt stayed in there for awhile before reluctantly getting out and dressing in a pair of sweatpants and a tank top. As she knelt next to a chair containing her belongings, she heard a knock on her door. Standing up straight, she grabbed a kunai and walked slowly over to it.

"Sakura, its me. Let me in." What did Sasuke want now?

With an inward sigh, she unlocked the door and opened it. He pushed his way in and walked over to another chair not containing her items and sat down, crossing his arms over his chest.

"What do you want, Sasuke?" Sakura asked in as much of a civil tone as she could muster.

"That dobe and Mr. dobe wont shut up and I need some quiet." He stated flatly, looking at her.

"Uh huh, well then stay by all means." She said sarcastically. No, she wouldn't let him ruin her quiet time. If he wanted silence, she would give him that. Without another word, she walked over to the window and opened it, sitting down on the ledge. Adjusting herself until she sat comfortably, her back against the frame as she had one foot up with her knee bent at an angle. Her other leg swung slowly as she loosely laid her hands on her stomach and looked out at the stars. A slight breeze came in through the window, playing with her pink hair. The air carried a slight hint of Cherry Blossom, her namesake. She breathed deeply and was about to close her eyes when she heard Sasuke speak.

"You're much different then I remember. You have become much stronger and more focused then you used to be." He spoke thoughtfully, eyes trained on the kunoichi in the window. Sakura turned her head to look at him, wondering where this came from.

"Thank you, I think." She said, wondering if it was a compliment or something else.

"Hn. Your new found skills surprise me constantly. Not to mention you have become so much quieter." He commented as their eyes met. They sat that way for a moment before Sakura looked away and back out the window, now looking at the citizens of the town going about their business.

All was quiet for awhile until she heard him speak again, this time he was right next to her.

"What are you looking at so intently?" He asked, sounding a big curious.

She was about to speak when she felt him lean closer to her, his face inches from hers. She flinched away from his closeness and realized she was about to fall out the window. Eyes widening, she tried to catch herself but before she could even try, she felt strong arms grab her and pull her back into the safety of the room. When she looked up, she realized that Sasuke had just saved her from a nasty fall and was now holding her in his arms, pressed against his chest.

"You need to be more careful. What was that all about, anyway?" He asked as he looked at her.

"Nothing, I just lost my balance." She pushed herself away from him as her face turned a shade darker. Refusing to let him see, she turned her back to him and covered her face with her hands.

"Are you alright?" He asked, once again he was close to her and she stared at the floor. What was he doing?

"I'm fine, don't worry about me." She said plainly, her normal answer to that question.

"I'll worry if I want to." He said softly, which took Sakura by surprise. She lost the feeling in her legs for a moment but regained composure. Was he serious?

"I wonder if Naruto and Yoshima have fallen asleep yet." She spoke, not able to think of how to reply to Sasukes remark.

"Are you that eager to get rid of me?" He asked, now walking around her so that they were standing face to face.

"That's not what I meant, well maybe a little. I am really tired." She stated looking up at him.

"Then go to bed. Remember I came in here because you don't want to talk to me." He said civilly. Sakura raised an eyebrow at his comment but remained silent for a moment.

"Your right, sorry." She said before turning away from her and laying down on her bed. She pulled the covers up around herself, shielding her view of Sasuke. Maybe if she couldn't see him she would forget he was in there as long as he kept quiet. With any luck he would leave soon. Moments later she felt herself slipping into sleep, forgetting about the one person she hated the most sitting in her room.

After a few minutes, Sasuke realized that Sakura had fallen asleep so he got up and blew out the candles that lit the room, sending it into darkness.

"Goodnight, Sakura." He said quietly.

_**::**_

_**End Chapter 5**_

* * *

_Wow what a Chapter! I had fun writing this one, please R&R!_


	6. Chapter 6 - New Feelings

I_ wanted to write Chapter 6 immediately since I didn't want to add it to Chapter 5. Hope you all enjoy!_

**_Chapter 6 - New Feelings_**

**_::_**

That night, Sakura's dreams were filled with confusing things. At one point they shifted to a troubling scene of Sasuke chasing her, swinging a mace. He clearly aimed to kill her while he kept saying over and over in a sadistic voice that he loved her. The laugh he had was menacing and made her skin crawl. When she finally found Naruto and Kakashi-Sensei, they pushed her away and started cheering Sasuke on, chanting _'kill that bitch!'_ She ran as fast as she could but no matter what she tried be got closer and closer.

Suddenly, she began to slow down. She willed herself to go faster but it was as if her feet were getting stuck in something sticky and no matter what she tried, it wouldn't release her. She heard Sasuke come closer, his laugh piercing her like his Chidori Blade. It was almost in slow motion as she watched him swing the mace at her. She screamed as it swung towards her head and connected.

Sakura sat up quickly in bed, the shock of the mace colliding with her skull jarring her awake. Tears began to stream down her cheeks as her chest heaved with every shaky breath that she took. Her hands moved up to her chest as she tried to calm herself, remembering where she was and that it was just a dream.

Once she calmed down, she felt a strange weight laying across her lap. Instantly tensing, she scooted back and felt it move down her legs, eventually sliding off. Fearing the worst, she touched the bed beside her, checking for cool metal of the mace. What she found was firm but soft at the same time. It was also warm, very warm. Furrowing her brow, she turned her head to see what it was and saw a shadowy mass stretched out beside her.

_'What the heck is that?'_ She asked herself before it dawned on her that she had fallen asleep with someone in her room who apparently didn't leave.

"Sasuke?!" She growled as she shoved him hard enough to knock him off the bed. She heard a muffled 'Thunk' and a groan.

"Hn. Wha?" Was all he said before Sakura started to yell.

"What are you doing in here? Why didn't you leave?" She yelled at the now awake Sasuke. He sat up and was looking at her, confused as to why she was upset.

"I decided to stay, you fell asleep then I got tired and so I just laid down. I didn't think you'd get this upset over it." He stated flatly, rubbing his head from where it collided with the floor.

"Well it's a little weird finding you laying next to me after you just killed me!" She spat out, tears beginning to flow again at the memory of the dream.

"I what?" He said, hearing the shaking in her voice. Was she crying?

"Uh, nothing, forget I said anything." Sakura said dryly, inwardly cursing herself for letting that slip.

"Sakura, what happened?" Sasuke became a little concerned and moved back to where she was, eyes adjusting to the dark enough so he could see her.

"Nothing, just leave me alone." She sniffled, looking away from him.

"No, Sakura. something is bothering you and I want to know what it is." He said, pressing her for more information.

"It's nothing, just a stupid dream." She stated. Trying to calm herself.

I won't forget about this, Sakura. You will tell me what happened in that dream before this mission is over." He said as he laid down again, facing her.

"Uh, Sasuke, what are you doing?" She asked, feeling a little wary.

"Going back to sleep just like you should be." He said flatly.

"Why in here?" She set her jaw and crossed her arms.

"It's too late for me to return to my room, besides its quieter. You don't snore." His tone was bored as he explained his motives.

"Well in that case, I don't see the harm. Just don't get used to it, Uchiha." She stated firmly as she laid down, a little further away. He remained quiet so she turned her back to him and closed her eyes. She felt movement in the bed as he moved closer to her then to her surprise, slid his arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him, her back was now pressed firmly against his chest. His breath was warm on her neck as she laid perfectly still.

"Sasuke?" She asked quietly.

"Sakura?" He replied back. He sounded distant, probably falling back asleep.

"There was a part in the dream... while you were trying to kill me, you kept saying something over and over while you laughed menacingly. Naruto and Kakashi-sensei were there cheering you on. They were chanting 'kill that bitch'." Her tone was quiet again, remembering the horrifying scene.

"What was I saying?" He asked, sounding a little more awake.

"Well... in my dream you kept saying..." She paused for a moment, trying to make herself utter the words. It hurt her to have to say them but since she brought it up, she would have to tell him. "You kept repeating 'I love you' over and over." She held her breath, afraid of how he would react. Instead, she felt his arm tighten around her, holding her even closer.

"Sakura, I don't know what made you dream that but I promise I will never hurt you like that. Ever." His voice was barely a whisper.

Within a few moments they were both asleep again, this time there were no dreams for either of them, almost as if the closeness kept the nightmares away.

**_::_**

When Sakura awoke in the morning, Sasuke was gone. She sat up and wondered if she had dreampt the whole thing but as she laid down again and noticed his side was still slightly warm and it had a faint smell of him. With a slight smile, Sakura got up and dressed quickly then packed her things before leaving the room. She met up with the group downstairs, Naruto didn't act out of the ordinary which was good. At least Sasuke didn't tell him where he had slept.

"Good morning, Sakura!" Naruto said with a wide grin.

"Do you always have to be this happy in the morning?" She asked, knowing she was in for a long day. She felt eyes on her and looked up, noticing Sasuke watching her closely.

"Good morning, Sasuke." She said quietly, not expecting anything more then his usual two syllables. She didn't want to mention anything about last night, figuring he wanted to keep it quiet.

"Morning, Sakura. I didn't want to wake you so I snuck out." He said with a smirk, watching her as her face turned a shade darker.

"N...no of course not." She said quickly, looking around the room, hoping that nobody heard him.

"Don't be shy, Sakura! Sasuke told us he was going to stay with you since we were being 'annoying'." Naruto was now standing next to her, smiling. Sakura took advantage of his position and clobbered him over the head.

"You idiot! I am not being shy!" She growled through her teeth at the blond ninja.

"Sorry, Sakura!" He said as he walked out of her reach.

Rolling her eyes inwardly, she followed them out of the inn. If they weren't distracted like the day before, they would reach their destination by nightfall. As they had hoped, it was smooth going and they found themselves at their destination, saying goodbye to Mr. Yoshima. They decided to stay in the city that night and start back early. Since they could now use their speed, they would arrive back at Konoha in a fraction of the time.

After eating a light dinner, Sakura retired to her room, musing that their first mission as a team in several years was a success. She was tired though, her dream kept trying to creep into her mind all day and fighting it made her exhausted. She wasn't tired enough to sleep just yet though so she sat in the window as she had done the previous night, watching the city folk go about their business. She must have been watching for about a half hour when a knock came at her door.

"Come in." She said, not bothering to get up. She doubted whatever it was, that it was important. She wasn't surprised when she heard a familiar voice.

"I came by to see how you are, you left quickly earlier." Sasuke stated. He sounded as if he had a different reason for gracing her with his presence though.

"I'm alright, just tired so I came back here to relax before bed." She said softly, still watching the people on the street.

"Hn." He said and went quiet. She knew he was still in there though, she could hear him moving around. Finally he spoke again. "Mind if I stay here for awhile? Naruto is in one of those moods that will ensure that I don't sleep tonight." He walked over to her and leaned against the wall.

"I don't mind, if he's alone he should fall asleep soon." She said as she now shifted her gaze towards the sky. Sasuke noticed her eyes change directions and looked out to see what she was seeing.

"Thanks. Do you mind if I..." He motioned towards her bed, indicating he wanted to either lay down or just sit.

"No, go ahead." She nodded once as she turned her head around, watching him lay down. Once he was clearly comfortable, he looked at her with another smirk on his face.

"You must be freezing over there. I can feel the cool air from over here." He said, amused by her averting her eyes back out the window.

"I'm alright, I enjoy the crispness of the air." She stated flatly.

"Sakura, come over here." He spoke with slight arrogance and amusement. Sakura turned to look at him, her eyebrow raised.

"Why?" She asked, curious about his intentions.

"I want you to. Now get over here." He said firmly, causing Sakura to jump a little at the forcefulness of his voice. Deciding to not press her luck with him, she stood up and closed the window before walking over to the bed. She knelt down beside the bed and looked at him, a serious look on her face.

"What?" She asked as she didn't blink.

"Stop playing around, come here." He said boredly, as if she was purposely trying to play dumb. Patting the bed beside him, she tentatively crawled onto it and laid on her side, a little ways away from him. She was looking at him questioningly. Almost instantly he reached out and grabbed her in his arms, pulling her close to him.

"I have been wanting to do this all day." He exclaimed as he pulled her even closer, her cheek against his chest. Sakura felt herself tense but she began to relax when she felt him rest his own cheek against her hair. Deciding not to fight it, she closed her eyes and let his body heat envelop her. She thought back to her 12 year old self who would have given anything for this to happen and now felt a little strange for it to be happening.

_'Stop questioning it, Sakura and just go with it'_Inner yelled.

Moments later Sakura had fallen asleep, feeling safe in Sasuke's arms.

Sasuke was still awake though. He remained awake as he listened to Sakura's breath even out as she slipped into a dream. When he heard her say something quietly, he wondered if she had woken back up but when she kept talking, he realized that she was still asleep. He began to listen to what she was saying.

"No... don't go in there! The killer mustache will get you and attach itself hideousness to your face!"

Sasuke smirked, this was going to be interesting.

"Get those lawn clippings away from me! They are pure evil!"

He found himself trying to suppress a laugh, this was going to be tough.

"Don't tell him that, Hinata! I thought you were supposed to be shy!"

This intrigued Sasuke, he wondered if she was dreaming about him again.

"Just stay away from me, it hurts too much..." He wondered again if this was about him, tensing a little.

"Ugh! Get away from me with that shit! That's disgusting!"

He was back to wondering what else she was dreaming about. Suddenly she fell silent, much to his disappointment. He laid next to her, holding her against his chest as he found himself hoping that the ladder of her dreams were not about him. Does she really have a fear of him? Was that why she was acting so strange?

"Sasuke?"

He tensed again, holding his breath as he wondered if she woke up.

"Yes, Sakura?" He whispered to her, looking at her face. Her eyes were still closed.

"Please don't eat those, only rodents will touch those ones."

"Ok, I wont. I promise." He whispered to her. Good, she was still asleep but now she was actually talking to him. He wondered what he could get out of her.

"Good, I care about you too much but if you became a rat I would die of a heart attack!"

"How much do you care about me?" He asked her, still whispering.

"I told you before, you're one of the most important people to me."

"How important?" He pressed her, wanting to know her opinion of him.

"I still love you but I don't like who you became."

"What did you become?" He looked at her sternly although she wouldn't see it.

"You killed your own brother and Orochi... whatever that ugly weirdo is called. I'm afraid of your strength and I don't want you to hurt me. If I hate you then you will stay away."

"I promise I will never do that to you, I don't want you to be afraid of me." He said to her, feeling a pang of guilt. He really did break her when he left. He tightened his arms around her and placed his cheek back where he had it against her hair.

"Ok Sasuke. I hope that means I am important to you finally."

"Yes, you are very important to me and I swear I will always protect you." He said firmly as he thought about what he just heard from her.

Sakura fell silent after this but Sasuke's mind was buzzing from her words. There was so much to her that she wouldn't let on. The weak, vulnerable Sakura was still in there but she had shielded herself with an untrusting, cold and angry outer Sakura much like he had done after losing his family. Did him leaving effect her that much? He began to wonder if he was wrong for walking away from her and the village. He knew now that it wasn't going to be easy to gain her trust back but he was glad that he got a hint at how to start. Soon after he thought of a plan to make Sakura more comfortable with him, he fell asleep, holding the fragile girl close to him all night.

**_::_**

The next morning, Sakura woke up expecting Sasuke to be gone but much to her surprise, he was still laying next to her, asleep. She yawned and tried to get up but his strong arms wouldn't let her. So she just decided to lay there and listen to the bird that was outside of the window.

At some point during the night, she had managed to turn her back to him so she couldn't see that he had woken up. He stayed motionless and watched her for awhile. After a few minutes, she moved the best she could to look at him, jumping slightly when she found him awake and staring at her. She smiled slightly and tried to sit up but he refused to let her. Instead, he held onto her a little tighter, preventing her from moving at all after he moved her onto her side so that she was now facing him, her chest pressed against his.

Feeling the heat in her face as she blushed, she gave up trying to fight Sasuke's grasp on her. Instead, she became motionless as she watched his face move closer to hers. Her mind reeled as she anticipated what he was about to do when a loud knock came at their door, making them both jump.

"Are you guys ever going to come out of there?!" Naruto yelled through the door. Oh what bad timing that boy seemed to have. Sakura sighed and looked away from Sasuke, trying to get up but he still wouldn't let her go. His eyes never left hers.

"We will be out in a little while, go away." Sasuke said loudly, his tone was dry. They heard Naruto grumble and walk away. When he was gone, Sasuke pushed Sakura onto her back and leaned over her, his face close to hers again.

"Sasuke...?" She let her hands fall to her sides as Sasuke continued to look at her. He didn't say anything at all. Feeling slightly nervous, she bit her bottom lip.

"Sasuke, what are you doing?" She sounded a little concerned which made Sasuke pause. He didn't say anything still, and she began to shiver. He felt shiver and moved closer to her, closing his eyes half way. Sakura didn't know where the urge came from but she closed the space between them, pressing her lips against his. Her shivering stopped as she closed her eyes. Sasuke left his open half way, watching her intently as he let their lips linger together. Soon after, Sasuke broke the kiss and moved away. Sakura's eyes shot open and she sat up looking terrified. They just looked at each other before Sakura tried to speak.

"I... I'm sorry Sasuke! I didn't mean to!" She looked away, feeling her face turn a darker shade of red.

"Shut up, Sakura." Sasuke's voice was low, she looked up at him and saw that he was close to her again, his arms reaching for her. She crawled over to him and he pulled her into his lap. Sakura looked up at him before he leaned in and kissed her, rather roughly. This time he parted his lips and ran his tongue across hers, causing her own lips to part. Slowly he inserted it in between and played with her tongue. Sakura slid her arms around his waist as they remained in the midst of the kiss for a few minutes. Reluctantly, Sasuke pulled away from her. He held her in his lap for a little longer though.

"We need to get ready to go. Naruto will be back soon and we need to get back to Konoha." He said softly, allowing Sakura to escape from his grasp. Once they were dressed and ready to go, they went downstairs and found an irritated Naruto waiting.

"Finally! I thought I was going to have to knock that door down and drag you two out!" He was fuming at them for making him wait. Sakura didn't blame him though.

**_::_**

**_End Chapter 6_**

* * *

_I hope you all liked it. I know this may confuse some of you regarding the Sasu/Saku scenes in the chapters 5 and 6 since this is not a real Sasu/Saku story but in the words of Inner Sakura, just go with it! It will make sense in the end! ;)_


	7. Chapter 7 - Return to Arrogance

_Ok people, I have recevevd complaints about the way that this story is going about the way that Sasuke is being accepted back into Konoha without any punishments for his actions._

_As stated before Chapter 1 even began, this story is NOT going to be canon and there are some parts from the canon version that I am changing to fit my story or completely removing!_

_If I didn't do this, my story would be pointless so what I am asking is that you do not look at this as the original Naruto Manga was written._

_I am following basic events but tweaking until it works for the tale I wish to tell._

_If you don't like it, I am not forcing anyone to read it! I am writing this for me because I have thought about it for a while. If I gather fans along the way then great, if not, oh well._

_Ask yourselves this: If every single person wrote a story and stuck with the canon versions, why is it called "Fan Fiction"? It's supposed to be manipulated and morphed into something great._

_Thank you for reading my mini-rant._

_~Ly._

**_Chapter 7 - Return to Arrogance_**

**_::_**

Team 7 left the city, traveling by speed through the trees. Now that they were free of the person who slowed them down immensely was somewhat of a relief. Naruto and Sasuke made a silent bet on who could reach Konoha faster, causing them to speed through the trees faster then what was necessary. Sakura traveled behind them, not bothering to hide her expression as she rolled her eyes and sighed. Some people never change.

The group remained relatively silent as they continued to travel through the woods, neither of them stated that a break was needed so they didn't bother to stop and rest. When they finally did decide to stop for the night and rest, Sasuke maintained a good amount of distance from Sakura, which confused her to no end. At the rate of their travel throughout the day, they had gone nearly half the way back to Konoha. With any luck, they would arrive back in the village by late evening tomorrow, a day before their scheduled arrival date.

Sakura sat at the base of a tree by the campfire as she stared into the flames distractedly. Sasuke had barely spoken to her since they left the city, making her wonder if she had done something wrong. As she was lost deep within her own thoughts, she brought her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. Finally shaking the thoughts from her head, she looked up and noticed that Naruto had already fallen asleep but Sasuke was still awake, sitting directly across from her on the other side of the campfire, staring at her intently. Feeling her face grow hot, she averted her eyes and leaned her head back against the tree, closing her eyes. Moments later exhaustion grabbed hold of her and she eased off into a restless nights sleep.

**_::_**

The next morning, Sakura was the first to wake up. She noticed that at some point after she had fallen asleep, Sasuke had moved closer to her. His eyes were closed, laying on his side and facing towards the now smouldering embers of what once was a fire. Naruto laid sprawled out across the ground, his mouth wide open. Much to her horror, she watched a bug fly out of his mouth causing her to dry heave. When she finally regained control of herself, she picked up a pine cone and threw it at the blond ninja effectively bouncing it off his head, causing him to sit up straight as he let out a startled cry.

"What the hell was that?" Naruto asked as he looked around, confusion on his face. He moved his hand to his forehead and rubbed where the spiky pine cone hit him, frowning.

"I didn't see anything..." Sakura stated, playing innocent. She managed to pull this off enough for him to believe. Shifting her eyes to Sasuke, she noticed he had woken up and was smirking at her, having seen what she had done. Her face turned a shade darker as she stood up quickly and gathered her things.

"Well whatever it was, it hurt!" Naruto stated as he took Sakura's hint and got up, also gathering his own belongings. Sasuke was the last to get up when Sakura and Naruto were done with their tasks.

Soon enough they took to the trees again, taking care to eat a very dry grain bread as they moved. They pushed hard to get back to Konoha by nightfall. Sakura craved her bed as did Naruto. As predicted, by the time the sun set behind the mountains, the gate of Konoha was spotted. With a sudden burst of adrenaline, they made the final push, arriving quickly in their home village.

Their last task before they could return to their apartments was to report to the Hokage. When they entered her office, Tsunade was hidden behind stacks of papers, hungrily sucking down her Sake.

"Well?" A clearly sloshed Tsunade asked them as she peeked over the monotonous stacks of work.

"Mr. Yoshima was returned home safely. There was one minor incident but we managed to take them out easily." Sasuke reported to her, the other two remaining silent.

"I assume then that you three managed to cooperate?" She asked, an eyebrow raising.

"Yes, Lady Hokage." He replied, not bothering to elaborate. Lady Tsunade watched them for a few moments before finally disappearing behind the paper stacks.

"Fine then, you are dismissed." She said as a thunk was heard, her head falling ontop of the desk. The trio didn't bother to respond, snores could be heard nearly right away from the now unconscious Hokage.

After stepping out from the tower, they parted ways, Naruto heading to his apartment while Sakura and Sasuke went to the one they shared. The two walked in silence, Sasuke with his hands in his pockets, Sakura with her arms crossed over her chest. Once they reached her home, she unlocked the door and walked in, letting Sasuke lock the door behind them. Without a single word, she walked to her room, shut the door and collapsed onto her bed, falling asleep almost immediately. That night she slept without the interruptions of dreams.

**_::_**

With a groan, Sakura lifted her head and rubbed her eyes before looking at her clock on the nightstand.

_12:00_

Her eyes flew open as she sat up too quick, giving herself a headrush. After a moment, it finally dissipated and she slid off her bed. She was about to open her door but was startled to find Sasuke sitting in a chair in the corner of her room, reading her journal.

"Sasuke! What the hell are you doing in here?!" She nearly yelled as she reached out and snatched her journal from his hands. He looked up at her, his face registering no emotion other then the cold smirk that was on his lips.

"You sure do sleep longer then anyone else." He stated, ignoring her previous question and her anger.

"How long have you been in here?" She asked, trying to control her temper as she stuffed her journal back into its place in the nightstand.

"All night." He stated, again feeling no need to elaborate.

"Stay the hell out of here!" She yanked her door open and walked out only to return a moment later, glaring at Sasuke. "And stay out of my things!" She vanished again, this time the sound of the bathroom door could be heard opening and closing.

Sakura took a long, hot shower and tried to make sense of Sasukes actions these past few days. He was driving her crazy and he needed to leave. One moment he is acting uncharacteristically gentle with her, the next he is back to his usual self and going through her things. What the hell was wrong with him anyway? Deciding she needed to ask him, she turned the water off and dried herself before pulling on a bathrobe and synching it around her waist.

The bathroom door opened then closed again as she walked back to her room, not surprised that Sasuke was still sitting in there, her journal once again in his hands. She would need to find a better hiding place for that before the day was out. Setting her jaw, Sakura walked over to her bed and sat down, crossing her legs as she folded her hands in her lap, silently watching him. He continued to look through the small journal but eventually looked up at her when she didn't say anything.

"What?" He asked as he closed the journal and placed it on the desk that was nearby.

"I need you to tell me the truth. Why did you have the Hokage re-assign you so that you became my roommate against my knowledge?" She knew she had asked him this before but his answer wasn't good enough for her. She waited as he didn't speak, this was a battle she refused to lose.

Eventually Sasuke gave in to her intense emerald stare and spoke in a monotone.

"When I came back to Konoha, you clearly despised me. That was the reason I convinced the Hokage to assign me as a roommate. You were no longer a fangirl and I would be left alone in your presence." He stated as he looked at her with bored eyes.

"As it turned out, you ended up being the one to barge into my private space." Sakura retorted, remembering the two nights that Sasuke had made excuses to be in her room while traveling.

"I didn't see you complaining." He answered, smirking again. Oh how she hated that arrogance.

"Well since you broke your own rule, maybe its time you looked for a new place to live." She said through gritted teeth. He was so infuriating, she needed him gone.

"No." He replied as he leaned forward in the chair, elbows resting on his knees as his hands folded together.

"Why the hell not?" Sakura asked, irritated by his stubbornness.

"I don't want to." He said flatly, getting up from his seat. Sakura watched as Sasuke walked over to her, stopping in front of her.

"Your so infuriating! I need to go to the hospital, I have a shift today." Sakura stated with a set jaw. If he wouldn't leave at least she could have a few hours away from him. She continued to wonder what happened to the Sasuke from a few nights ago.

"I'll come with you." Sasuke added, his face still stoney except for a slight smirk.

"You can't. I have patients to tend to and I can't have you getting in the way." She walked to her closet and pulled out her hospital uniform before retreating to the bathroom once again, changing. When she was done dressing, she pulled her hair back into a spiky looking ponytail that her hair was barely long enough to make. After she was certain that she looked decent, she left the bathroom and walked towards her door, not wanting to give Sasuke any other chance to argue with her.

"Ready?" She heard his voice behind her, stopping her in her tracks,

"You are not going with me!" She spat out at him, his determination was getting on her last nerve.

"Yes I am." He stated matter-of-factly as he walked around her and walked out the door. With a sigh, she rolled her eyes and walked out as well. This was going to be a very long day.

_**::**_

When the two arrived at the hospital, Sakura stopped by the front desk and retrieved her patient list. Feeling slightly tense, she made her way to the first room, Sasuke following close behind. Luckily for her, it was their old sensei, Kakashi.

"Good morning, Sensei." Sakura said as she walked into the room and saw Kakashi sitting up on the bed, reading his orange backed book as usual. He looked up when he saw Sakura enter and reluctantly tucked the book away.

"I hope you don't mind, I requested you to treat my injuries." He said in his usual tone before his eyes averted towards the second figure who had just entered. "Hello, Sasuke. I'm surprised to see you here."

"He's my... uh... shadow today." Sakura said slowly before looking over his chart. Sasuke remained silent as he migrated towards the furthest end of the room and leaned against the wall as he watched them.

"I see." Kakashi replied, trying to remember any other circumstance from the past when Sasuke was willingly around Sakura without being ordered to. As he guessed, it had never happened before.

"Looks like you have a broken arm and a fractured rib. These will be easy to mend so just try to sit still so I can concentrate." Sakura said as she shifted into Medical mode, instantly forgetting her childhood crush was watching her intensity. Kakashi fell silent as Sakuras hands began to glow green with chakra, which she applied to his arm and then his ribcage. They didn't take long to set right and soon after, she stood up and wiped a bead of sweat off of her forehead with the back of her hand.

"All done. You are free to go now whenever you like." She said, hoping the rest of her day would be this easy. Kakashi waved at her as he fished his book out. Rolling her eyes inwardly, she exited the room and crossed him off her list. Sasuke was right behind her but kept quiet as she concentrated. The rest of her shift went pretty much like this and by the time she was done, she was exhausted, wanting nothing more then to go home and sleep.

Sakura was walking a little slower now, her eyes half closed as they walked out of the hospital and towards the gate surrounding it. Sasuke walked next to her, his hands stuffed in his pockets as he regarded her. Sakura was, however, lost in her own thoughts of imagining how soft her bed was and finally realized that she hadn't eaten a whole lot since before they left on the mission. No wonder she was so exhausted, as if confirming her revelation, her stomach growled slightly, causing her face to turn a shade darker. Thankfully Sasuke didn't say anything so maybe he didn't hear it, much to her relief. Wanting to get back home quicker, she began to walk faster but didn't manage to get very far before she began to wobble slightly, dizziness overtaking her. instinctively, she reached out and grabbed hold of the closest thing to her which happened to he Sasuke's arm. She used him to steady herself as she closed her eyes, the dizziness releasing its hold on her.

"Sakura, what's wrong?" She heard Sasuke ask her but he sounded further away then he really was. Finally managing to look up, she noticed he still looked stone faced but their was a slight hint of concern. Was it just her imagination?

"N... nothing, I just got dizzy but I'm ok now." Sakura managed to say as she let go of his arm. She began to walk again but her pace was much slower.

"I need to get you home and at this rate we won't get there until the sun sets." Sasuke said before doing something that startled Sakura but she didn't have the strength or wanting to fight it. Sasuke grabbed hold of her and picked her up, bridal style, and leapt up onto the nearest roof, getting them back to their shared apartment by far much quicker then she expected.

Once inside, Sasuke laid her down on the couch and slid a pillow under her head. Almost instantly, Sakura's eyes closed as she fell asleep. Noticing how quickly she had dozed off, Sasuke walked to Sakura's room and retrieved her journal. This was a good opportunity for him to look through it. He didn't care that this was Sakura's personal thoughts and feelings written within and she wanted them to be kept private. Infact, thats the exact reason this little book interested him so much.

Sasuke took a seat on the floor, beside Sakura so that he could keep an eye on her as he opened the journal and flipped through it, looking for something interesting. Within moments he found a page he had not yet seen, it was in the form of a letter and it had his name on it. Deciding this would be a good one to read, he brought the journal closer as he began to read.

_**::**_

_**End Chapter 7**_

_Great chapter! This one took me a little while to write. What happened to the seemingly sweet new Sasuke? What was Sasuke reading? Chapter 8 will reveal the secrets! R&R_


	8. Chapter 8 - The Letter

_Hi guys, I hope you are all enjoying the story so far! Lots of questions and so few answers lol. _

**_Chapter 8 - The Letter_**

**_::_**

Sasuke started reading the letter that had been written within the journal, imagining it would be similiar to some of the other entries in which Sakura was fawning over him so many years ago. As he read though, his face fell from an expectant smirk to an almost saddened expression. When he had finished reading it the first time, he looked up at Sakura who was happily sleeping, almost regretting that he had picked the book up again.

He let his eyes fall back to the pages and re-read it slower, hoping maybe that would change the words.

**_::_**

_ My Dearest Sasuke,_

_It has been nearly two years now since you left Konoha, Naruto and me. By now, most of our friends have given up on searching for you let alone the hope that you'd return freely. I haven't though, I keep hoping that you will remember that we all sincerely care about you and want you to come home. I am alone now though, Naruto left about a year ago with the Sannin, Jaraiya to train and he won't be coming back for another two years at least. I'm lonely here, Sasuke. I miss you and as much as it pains me to say it, I even miss Naruto! I know that you always found me annoying and I am the weakest Kunoichi in Konoha but I would rather have you here then off wherever you are right now. Sure, I go off on missions with other teams but it's just not the same. I am still practically useless when it comes to fighting and I have seriously contemplated quitting all together. Lady Tsunade has taken pity on me and agreed to let me become her apprentice, she is such a strong fighter and the best medical-nin alive so if at least one thing can rub off on me, I will be grateful. I am afraid of disappointing her though, she is a Sannin afterall and I know how disappointed you were with me. _

_Sasuke, it hurts like hell to know that no matter how much I tried to make you realize that you had a family with us yet you rejected every single one of us like we didn't matter, especially me. I wasn't good for a lot of things but I always tried to be the one who loved you no matter what. I remember waking up every morning, looking forward to see you but you'd just glare at me. I constantly wondered what was so wrong with me, or what I have done to make you so mad. When you were leaving, I remember trying everything I could to stop you and even begging to go with you. Truth is, when I looked at you, I felt home. Stupid right? When you rejected me, something inside of me died. I know you just thought of me like all those other girls who would swarm around you, caring about nothing but your appearance. I wasn't like them though, I actually grew more attached to you after becoming your teammate and learning more about you. I just wish you would have accepted me as a friend if nothing else, instead of treating me like I was just another useless waste of space._

_Whatever happens in the future, Sasuke, I will always love you but I can't do this anymore. I can't be like those women in those stories who would stand on cliffs overlooking the ocean every night, waiting for their sailors to return to them but never come. I read so many stories that ended in heartbreak and I finally realized that is what I'm doing so to speak. I am waiting for someone who will never return home. I guess the question is, how do I make myself forget you? How do I mend this hurt that never seems to heal? Sometimes I find myself hating you so much to the point where I wish that news of your death will reach Konoha so I can finally tell myself to stop hoping. Hope is the worst emotion that I have, it outweighs all else. As long as you live, I will always hope. _

_I find myself fantasizing more and more everyday about leaving Konoha. You did as well as Naruto, even though he will return eventually. I dream about running to the Land of Water, boarding one of their ships and sailing as far away from this place as possible. I want to vanish. I want to change my name and my hair, killing whats left of Sakura. I think one day I will do just that. I will wait until Naruto returns so I can say goodbye to him, I know he'd miss me too much and try to come find me. I have nothing left here, my parents are gone now and I am utterly alone. If fate has forced me to be alone, I want to do it where I am unknown. I want to be anonymous in life and live on a secluded beach in the middle of nowhere. _

_I have no purpose, Sasuke. I am broken beyond repair and the only two people I ever gave a damn about aren't here. As much as I hate to admit it, despite all of the hatred I now harbor for you, I still love you. I despise you for doing this to me. I am making a promise to myself that if I ever see you again, I will hate you. I refuse to let you to entrance me again as I once was._

_This is where my heart will now say goodbye to you. Although I know you will never read this letter, I know the promise will stand. I know it exists and that's good enough for me. _

_Goodbye, Sasuke._

_Forever with love and hatred, _

_Sakura._

**_::_**

By now Sasuke had read this at least four times, each time feeling like another kunai was piercing through his chest. Had he really never noticed that Sakura was truly this in love with him? She always seemed just like any other girl who followed him. He had no idea how badly he had hurt her when he left to set on his quest to destroy his brother. She was just another annoying inconvenience at the time and he was glad when he wouldn't be around her anymore. Now that he knows the extent of how his actions hurt her, he felt a rush of guilt that he knew he could never make right.

He remained where he was, the journal now lying open in his lap as he stared at the pages blankly. He didn't notice Sakura stir before waking up. When she saw Sasuke sitting next to her, she smiled lightly before noticing he had her journal again, open to the very thing she was afraid of him seeing. Her face paled as she reached over and snatched it from him. She stood up and desperately wished she had found a better place to hide that damn book but Sasuke's voice called behind her.

"Sakura." His tone sounded slightly troubled when he spoke her name. She turned to look at him, remaining silent as their eyes locked on one another. "How much of that did you really mean?" She saw a fleeting flash of hurt reflect in his eyes before they turned to their usual stoney look.

It took her awhile to reply, trying to think of the best way to say it. "Every word of it... at least I did when I wrote it." She said slowly, her eyes not leaving his.

"Do you really think that if you left, nobody in Konoha would care?" He asked, getting up from where he was sitting.

"Sometimes, yes." Sakura said softly, finally looking away from him as a single tear trailed down her cheek. She had contemplated lying about what she had written but knew at this point, it would only make it worse.

"Is this why you refused to speak to me once I returned? That promise?" He asked as he walked over to her. She still wasn't looking at him.

"Yes... yes it is. I was hurt badly and I never expected to see you return here let alone read my private journal." She became defensive as he got closer, trying to build up her walls. Silence fell between them after that, he was now standing a few feet away, looking at her. She was about to turn and walk away but was stopped again when she felt his hand take hers gently.

"Sakura... did you really wish that I would have died?" He asked finally, slight distress in his tone. She thought about her answer but couldn't find the right thing to say, eventually deciding on the truth again.

"Yes, I did. That was the only thing I could think of that would finally free me of this hold you had over me." She stated, another tear rolling down her cheek.

"How do you feel about me now?" Sasuke asked slowly, speaking barely above a whisper.

"I... I don't know... I know how bad that sounds but it's the truth. I refuse to just love you again as I used to. I don't want to get hurt again, I wouldn't survive it." She spoke in the same whisper, her eyes closing as she said it.

She felt a finger underneath her chin as Sasuke raised her head up to make her look at him. She opened her eyes and looked back into his, noticing something she didn't expect, he looked genuinely sad.

"Sakura, I will never hurt you. I want you to be able to trust me and love me. That's why I came back, now that I accomplished my life's goal, I want to re-start the Uchiha clan. I want to do that with you." He confessed to her. He had managed to go this long without revealing his true motives for becoming so interested in her since he returned and the truth hit her hard.

She felt him pull her over to him, wrapping his arms around her firmly. She hesitantly let her arms slide around his waist before resting her face in the crook of his neck. More tears escaped from her, wetting the collar of his shirt but he didn't mind. She remained silent, she had nothing to say, the last words Sasuke had said were still playing through her head. They stood in silence, embracing each other for quite some time before Sasuke spoke again, his voice was soft in her ear.

"Please don't feel like you are alone anymore, I will never leave you again." He said, tightening his arms around her.

_**::**_

_**End Chapter 8**_

_There is only one word that I can imagine to explain this chapter... heavy! Hope you guys enjoyed it! Sasuke actually has feelings behind his asshole exterior!_


	9. Chapter 9 - Familiar

_awesome! Chapter 9 already~ Thank you to everyone who reads this! _

**_Chapter 9 - Familiar_**

**_::_**

Sakura awoke early the following morning, the sun had yet to rise. The day before when she had caught Sasuke reading her journal had been an emotional chaotic mess but somehow they grew a little closer together. After she retreated to her room and Sasuke to his, she found herself laying in bed and staring out her window for quite some time before she finally fell asleep. She assumed that she maybe got about 4 hours of rest in the end once she woke up before dawn. She tried to will herself to sleep more but eventually she gave up and decided to go train. At this time in the morning there was sure to be nobody else in the area, which she liked since she could fully unleash her power.

She decided to leave Sasuke a note stating where she had gone and what time she would return. She remembered Sasuke telling her later the night before that he wanted to go train with her so she could show him the extent of her abilities but since she had woken so early, she figured he wouldn't mind. Finding a stray piece of paper, she quickly wrote a note and placed it on the counter where she was sure he would see it.

_I couldn't sleep so I went to train for awhile. I'll be back by lunch._

_-Sakura_

**_::_**

The streets were silent as the shadows began to lighten from the rising sun. There was a slight chill in the air, causing her to pull her jacket tighter around her shoulders. Her footfalls were muffled as she stepped onto a grassy area that led to the training grounds. As she passed through the border that laid on the edge of Konoha, she decided to take her time as she approached her prefered clearing. It was the furthest away, so the likelihood of anyone else interrupting her were minimal.

As she approached her usual beginning place in the center of the clearing and began her stretches, she began to feel like someone was watching her. Brushing off the feeling, she continued with her stretches thoroughly loosening her muscles but she still couldn't shake the feeling. With a slight sigh, she crossed her arms over her chest and closed her eyes as she concentrated her senses to try and see if she could feel other chakra nearby. As she extended her senses, she did in fact feel another chakra signature and it felt somehow familiar. As she probed further, she felt the presence come closer and her eyes popped open, realizing who it belonged to.

'So Sasuke couldn't resist coming along even though its early...' She thought to herself as she unfolded her arms and continued her stretches. She could feel him moving closer, he was just outside of the treeline but he seemed to have stopped. 'I wonder what he's doing...' She mused to herself as she reached into her weapon pouch, producing three kunai. As she took her normal stance, she flowed her chakra into the kunai in her right hand until it was glowing blue. Moments later she unleashed her fury as she hurtled the kunai towards the wooden target on the other side of the field, knocking a good section of it free. Feeling pleased with herself, she repeated this process two more times. The three targets she had attacked were still standing though and feeling a little spiteful at their resilience, she moulded her hand with chakra and slammed her glowing blue fist into the ground. Within seconds, the ground in front of her split open she directed her aim towards the wooden targets. As the aftershock arrived at its destination, she watched the targets explode from her power, sending splinters into the air.

With a simple nod, she was pleased with her strength and made her way towards the aftermath to collect her kunai. Luckily for her as she looked for them, they were unharmed. Breathing a sigh, she stuffed her kunai into the pouch on her hip, having forgotten about Sasuke's presence. That was, until a silent, speeding kunai flew at her and buried itself in her right thigh. She let out a surprised cry as she yanked the kunai out of her leg, healing her injury until the only remnants of her injury was the blood staining her leg.

"Damnit, Sasuke! I am going to beat the shit out of you when I catch you!" She yelled towards the trees, remembering that he had been watching her. With her jaw clenched, she raced towards the trees in his direction, extending her senses to pinpoint his location. When she locked on him, she could feel him racing away from her causing her to think he was playing some sort of game. Growing more frustrated with him, she leapt up into a tree and gave chase.

She didn't know how long she had been tailing him but he kept leading her deeper and deeper into the woods. Finally she felt him stop, causing her to while she tried to sense where he was. Moving slowly, she leapt from tree to tree, closing in on his stationary signature. When she got close enough, she scanned the area but didn't see him.

'He's probably hiding, wanting to gain the element of surprise.' She said to herself as she leapt from the tree and walked out into the opening. Crossing her arms over her chest, she set her jaw again.

"I'm not going to play anymore. If you don't show yourself and give up, I promise I will make your life a living hell for the next week!" Sakura stated through gritted teeth. She looked around her, waiting for a response but didn't hear anything. Not even a single movement as she became quiet, listening. After a little while, she felt the signature move, following it with her senses. She figured he was trying to sneak up on her and she smirked, letting him think she wasn't aware of his location. Under her folded arms, she balled a fist and let her chakra flow into it, waiting for Sasuke to get close enough.

After an slow moving moment that felt more like an hour, she felt him come closer until he was now within her range. Smirking more, she unfolded her arms and turned on her heel, sending her fist towards him but she didn't feel it connect. The very next moment, she felt a hand grasp her around her neck while another accessed a pressure point in between her neck and shoulder, pinching hard enough to cause her to wince. Her vision became blurry but she thought she saw Sasuke's face. He was staring at her, stone faced, as her eyes closed and her body slid limply to the ground. She managed to utter two words towards him before the blackness took her.

"Why... Sasuke?" She spoke barely above a whisper. She didn't feel herself being caught before her head could collide with the ground.

Sakura's attacker picked up her limp body, bridal style, and held her close to his chest. He looked down at her unconscious face and let a slight smirk play on his lips before leaping into the trees and vanished further into the woods, taking her away from Konoha.

**_::_**

It was 8:00 in the morning when Sasuke woke from his restless nights sleep. He stretched and looked around his bare room before deciding to get up and take a shower. He normally didn't take very long getting ready, so about ten minutes later, he was showered and dressed as he made his way out to the livingroom. He expected to see Sakura but when he didn't he looked for her but found that he was in the apartment alone. Shrugging slightly, she walked into the kitchen and spotted her note on the counter.

'Hn. She went without me. Well I might as well go see what she's up to.' He thought to himself, grabbing a slice of bread and popping it into the toaster. He ate quickly then left the apartment, walking towards the training grounds, his hands stuffed into his pockets.

**_::_**

Sakura's head was throbbing with a headache as the world began to swarm around her. She had no idea how long she had been unconscious but it must have been for at least a few hours. She was laying in a dark room on a think sleeping bag. Her back was screaming with protest as she tried to sit up but found that remaining still was better on her. After a few moments, she moved her right hand towards her face but felt a strange weight coming with it. It took her quite awhile in her fogginess to realize that the weight was her other hand. Her hands were bound together. Great. She breathed rather harshly as she became frustrated again. 'Why did Sasuke do this to me?' she asked herself but there was no answer.

Somewhere on her left, she heard a door creak open and someone walk in. Turning her head towards the sound, she squinted, unable to see anything except for a black figure walk towards her. There was no light to speak of but she could see piercing red eyes looking down at her.

_**::**_

Sasuke reached the training grounds but found she wasn't in the ones closest to the city. Remembering that there was another at the furthest end that Kakashi used to bring them to, he leapt into the trees and made his way rather quickly towards his destination, watching the ground below incase she was already heading back.

As he approached the clearing, he noticed that he didn't feel any other chakra present. Confirming what he felt, when he arrived at the clearing she was nowhere to be seen. He was about to turn back towards the village, thinking maybe he had missed her go by when he spotted something out of the corner of his eye. Curious as to what it was, he leapt from the trees and walked over, hands back in his pockets. He observed the destruction left behind and smirked. Sakura sure has gotten stronger. He walked towards where spot at the beginning of the giant crack in the earth, looking down at a jacket. Furrowing his brow, he reached down and picked it up, instantly recognizing it as Sakuras. 'Maybe she forgot it behind' he reasoned with himself, but he had never known her to be forgetful. He looked around again, a little more carefully this time, extending his senses to find out where she had gone. He immediately tensed when he detected two separate chakra signatures, both equally familiar to him. No... it couldn't be... could it?

**_::_**

Sakura watched as the shadowy figure with red piercing eyes approached her. She stiffened as she tried to scoot away but discovered that her ankles had also been bound together. She thought about attacking the figure using her jutsu but found that not only were her hands bound, they were positioned with the backs of her hands together. Clever, clever man.

"I see you are finally awake." The velvety voice spoke into the silent room. His voice was so familiar to her but it sounded different. Older even. Her eyes grew wider as an impossible realization struck her.

"It can't be..." She spoke into the room, her voice barely above a whisper as he man knelt down, his face very close to hers. She could see every one of his features, his long raven black hair, his Sharingan eyes and the smirk on his lips. He was supposed to be dead! How was he here?

"What can't be?" He asked her as he saw recognition in her eyes.

"Uchiha Itachi." She spoke into the silence, feeling her heart race as she desperately wanted to flee from this murderer.

_**End Chapter 9**_

* * *

_With that the plot thickens! R&R!_


	10. Chapter 10 - Heal Me

_Hey all, sorry about taking so long to update, I got caught up in reading other FanFics and working on a few new ideas. I hope you enjoy this chapter!_

**_Chapter 10 - Heal Me_**

**_::_**

_'I must be caught in a Genjutsu! Think Sakura, I need to get out of this. But how? _Sakura thought to herself as she closed her eyes and tried to think. She couldn't use her hands or legs since they were bound so any option for hand signs were eliminated. She needed to find a way to cause physical pain, what what could she use without hands? Opening her eyes slowly, being careful to avoid looking at the older Uchiha as she scanned her surroundings, her eyes finally fell upon a small corner table right next to her bed. _'That will work, now to get close enough.'_

Slowly, Sakura wiggled closer to it, knowing that the mass murderer was watching her every move, she got close enough to the table and lifted herself up enough on her elbow. She was just about to smash her temple down onto the corner of the table but a voice spoke, causing her to pause her actions.

"That will do you no good. This isn't a Genjutsu, all you will receive is a headache." The Uchiha spoke in his monotone velvety voice.

"Then what is this?" Sakura snapped at him, finally allowing herself to look in his direction. He hadn't moved from where she had originally seen him, he just stood there, watching her with unblinking, red eyes.

"That answer will come in time." He spoke simply, obviously unwilling to go any further with an explanation. Sakura breathed out a sigh and let herself fall back as she looked at the ceiling, wondering how she ended up in this mess.

"How long do I have to stay like this?" She asked slowly after realizing that her hands were feeling cold. Her circulation must be getting cut off and if she wasn't released soon, she would lose the function of her hands. He didn't answer her though, just continued to watch her. Rolling her eyes inwardly, she bit her bottom lip as she ran through ideas of how to get free. _'This is so annoying, how long am I going to be kept here anyway? Why would he wa-' _Her thoughts were cut off by the movement across the room. She snapped her head towards the Uchiha and watched him approach her. Instantly tensing, she tried to move away from him but he caught her easily.

"What are you doing!" She snapped at him as more of a statement then a question. Her heart began racing as she felt his surprisingly warm hands touch her arms, trailing down to her wrists as he pulled her into a position so he could look at the bounds. She felt light tugging at the rope around her wrist but it didn't release. He kept tugging at it but a few moments later he gave up and just sat beside her, eyes closed, as his hands rested on his own thighs.

"Use a kunai." Sakura stated into the silence after she had turned to look at him, noticing the slightly frustrated expression on his face. She watched his eyes open as he heard her words and reached for one of his that he kept hidden. He studied the rope intently for a few moments before she felt the cool metal against the back of her hands. Closing her eyes, she heard a snap then her hands were free. With relief, she rolled onto her back and held her hands over her chest as she rubbed her wrists, coaxing blood flow.

"Here." The kunai was shoved into her hands roughly. Blinking for a few moments, confused as to why he handed it to her, she remembered that her ankles were still bound.

"Once I am free, what's to stop me from trying to escape?" She asked warily, holding the kunai firmly in her hand as she looked at him. He was unsettling close and his eyes were open again, staring at her.

"You won't." He simply said, unmoving from his close proximity. She knew then that he was right because he was very intimidating. His reputation and looks made her fear what would happen if she dared attack him. Letting out a sigh of defeat, she leaned forward and cut the rope off her ankles before sitting back and reluctantly handing the weapon back to her captor. He took it from her and stowed it back on his person before moving away and grabbing hold of a chair, bringing it back close to her bed where she was now sitting with her knees brought up to her chest and her arms wrapped around her legs.

"Why am I here?" Her voice sounded a little too high pitched, causing her to wince at herself. He watched her, no expression visible on his stoney face.

"I need your help." He finally spoke into the silence of the room. The words took awhile to sink into her head, leaving her confused. A lump grew in her throat as she tried to think of any reason as to why he would need her of all people.

"Why?" She finally managed to say after a few moments. Letting her legs drop, she scooted to the edge of the bed and sat on the edge, her hands planted on either side of her.

"I need you to heal my eyes." He said almost immediately. His red eyes boring into her as she chewed on her lower lip. The room fell silent again as Sakura wondered if that was the actual reason or if he was going to try and manipulate her. After everything Sasuke did and Itachi's reputation, she didn't have any faith in the Uchihas.

**_::_**

A rappid knock came at the Hokage's door, snapping Tsunade from her sake endused slumber.

"What!" She yelled at the door, inadvertently knocking the empty bottle to the floor. The door flung open and a very irate looking Sasuke entered. He slammed the door shut and stood in the middle of the room, arms crossed over his chest.

"What do you want, Uchiha!" Tsunade growled, not happy with him for waking her up. Her head hurt and she was not in the mood to deal with him

"Sakura's missing." He stated with a clenched jaw, suppressing every part of himself that wanted to tear Konoha apart in search of her.

"What?" Tsunade yelled as she stood up from her chair and slammed her palms down onto the desk top.

"Sakura left me a note stating she was going to train. I went over there and she was gone. There was another chakra signature as well as hers." He explained, his expressionless face not changing.

"Well who was it?" She growled at him, not in the mood for any guessing games. If her apprentice was in fact missing, they needed to assemble a team right away.

"It was my brothers."

**_::_**

"Fine, come over here so I can get an idea of what needs to be repaired." Sakura said in a defeated tone. The silence that echoed around the room eventually led her to believe that she was not being lied to and her medical training began to kick in. The oldest Uchiha remained silent as he stood up and walked over to her, sitting next to her and turning sideways so that he was facing her. With a sigh, Sakura turned to face him and rubbed her hands together. His arms were crossed over his chest as he watched her, stone face not relenting. Almost unsure, she raised her hands and reached for his face. He flinched slightly as her palms covered his eyes, causing her to jerk her hands back.

"If you expect me to do my job, you need to relax." She stated in her best medical-nin voice. If he was going to be this jumpy, the task would defiantly take longer then it should. He remained silent as she moved her hands back to his eyes and covered them, this time not flinching away.

Green chakra began to flow from her hands as she closed her eyes, concentrating on the probing. The nerves within his eyes were shot and everything looked like a mess. With a sigh, she withdrew her hands and looked at him, the corners of her mouth pulling down into a frown.

"This is going to be difficult. I can do it but it will take awhile and I don't have the resources here to do it. We need to go back to Konoha." She spoke, still in her medical tone. She knew that he was a wanted man within the village and getting him in would be risky but he needed to be at the hospital.

"Out of the question." He glared at her, causing her to raise an eyebrow. "Incase you havn't heard, I am a wanted criminal in the Hidden Leaf. I cannot just walk in." He stated dryly, closing his eyes.

"What else do you suggest?" Sakura spat out at him, suddenly becoming angry. Over anything else, she hated when she wasn't listened to by her patients.

"Hn." Itachi replied, causing Sakura to roll her eyes. The similarities between the two Uchiha brothers were uncanny with the way they both acted.

"There is no other choice. If you want your eyes healed, we need to be in Konoha." Sakura spat out at him as she scooted away to sit indian style, her back against the wall. His eyes remained closed, making her wonder if he was in some sort of pain. From her examination she figured out that his eyes were in poor shape, the only way he could see is if he kept his Sharingan activated but the constant use was deteriorating them at an accelerated rate.

"Hn." He replied as he stood up and walked to the door. With his hand on the handle he turned back to Sakura and looked at her. "Fine." He said before walking out of the room and shutting the door leaving Sakura alone.

After a few minutes of silence, she got up from the bed and looked around the room for a piece of paper. Eventually finding one, she found a pen and wrote a note to the Hokage and folded it. It would be best if she alerted her to the new guest. Sitting quietly, she listened intently incase the older Uchiha was was close by. He didn't appear to be so she did her summoning signs and slammed her hand to the floor, instantly causing a blue and white slug to appear.

"Hello, Lady Sakura, what can I do for you?" The tiny slug asked as she looked at the pink haired kunoichi.

"I need you to deliver this to Lady Tsunade right away." Sakura said as she attached the note to the small slug. With a nod, the slug vanished with a soft pop. Moments later, her door opened and the older Uchiha stepped in with a slight hint of a frown.

"Who were you talking to?" He asked as he stared at the girl who was sitting on the floor. Sakura's face paled as she tried to come up with an answer but failed. With a sigh, she decided the truth would probably be best at this point.

"I sent a message to my Hokage." She said dryly, avoiding eye contact. She didn't know how he would react to her boldness, only knowing what she did from others. Much to her surprise, she heard him walk out and close the door without saying anything else. _'If only Sasuke had been this easy, we could have saved a lot of trouble.' _she thought to herself as she smirked.

Sakura stood from her position on the floor and walked around the room to stretch her legs. The room itself wasn't very big, in fact, it was rather small. Just a bed, a small table and a desk with a chair were in there. There were no windows though so Sakura really had no idea what time it was let alone if it was dark outside. With her arms crossed over her chest, she sat down on the bed again and let out a long sigh.

**_::_**

"SHIZUNE!" Tsunade yelled, echoing her voice off the walls in the office. Moments later, the woman who was called for ran into the room and bowed.

"Yes, M'Lady?" She asked, Tonton still clutched to her chest looking a little annoyed.

"apparently Sakura has gone missing. I need you to summon Kiba, Shino and Neji right away. She has only been gone for a couple of hours so they should be able to track her down with no problem." Tsunade told her assistant who nodded and turned to leave the room.

_'POP'_

A small blue and white slug appeared on Tsunade's desk, causing Shizune to turn and look at the Hokage. In turn, Tsunade held up her hand in a motion to wait as she looked down at the messenger.

"Lady Tsunade, I have a message for you from Lady Sakura." The small slug spoke, moving across the desk. Tsunade didn't speak but instead reached over and plucked off the piece of paper and unfolded it, recognizing her apprentice's handwriting.

_'Lady Hokage,_

_I have no idea if you know that I am currently not in the village but if you do know, please don't worry, I am unharmed. I was asked to tend to someone outside of the village. I cannot tell you who it is... yet, but please know that I do intend on returning with said person by nightfall if he agrees. He is reluctant to say the least. _

_Sakura'_

Tsunade stared at the note, noticing that it left out a lot of information and didn't really explain a whole lot. But if the words were true and Sakura was returning with a patient, as a Medical genius, she knew that patients cannot be abandoned. With a sigh, she looked up at the two others who had been watching her.

"Shizune, cancel that order. You are dismissed." She spoke gruffly, waiting for Shizune to nod and exit the room, shutting the door behind her. When they were alone, she turned to Sasuke who hadn't changed his stone expression since arriving in her office.

"Sasuke, Sakura is fine. She will be returning tonight with a patient. Go home now." Tsunade ordered. She noticed Sasuke was about to object but she held up her hands and gave him a stern look. He clenched his jaw before walking out of the room. When the door shut, Tsunade found a piece of paper and wrote a reply.

**_::_**

_'POP'_

The small blue and white slug appeared right next to Sakura, startling her out of her thoughts.

"Lady Sakura, I have a message for you." The slug said, looking at her with her long eye sockets twitching around. Sakura took the message off of the slug and unfolded it, reading what Lady Tsunade had to say.

_'Sakura_

_Yes, I know of your absence. Sasuke barged into my office stating so not too long ago. I am relieved to hear you are alright but who is this person? I expect a full report upon your arrival. I will meet you at the hospital after sundown. Be there. If you do not return to Konoha by that time, I will send a search party to bring you back._

Sakura read the note over and sighed. How was she going to talk the older Uchiha into returning so promptly? As if on cue, the door swung open and said person walked in, looking from her to the slug.

"What now?" He asked, his voice letting in a hint of irritation and apprehension. Sakura held out the note for him to read, so he walked across the room and took it from her. For the quickest second his forehead furrowed but returned to normal right after. "Hn." was all he said before handing it back to her, turning towards the chair and sitting down. He looked at her as she thought for a moment.

"Well we know you cannot just walk right in through the gate. You will need to disguise yourself." Sakura stated as she wrote a quick one worded response and attached it to the slug, sending her away. The word she wrote was simple.

_'Understood.' _

"Fine. Lets go." He stated as he stood and waited for her to stand up. Thankfully for her, her belongings were laying on the desk and she attached her pouches with ease.

"So your just going to trust me and let me have my weapons while following me into a place that wants you dead?" She asked, not trying to suppress her shock. She imagined that if he had really wanted to harm her, he would have by now.

"I have no choice." He stated flatly as he used a jutsu to obscure his facial features, turn his hair white and change his clothes into that of a traveler.

"I can see your point." Sakura replied mechanically. At least she would be home soon, today has been just strange to say the least. She had no idea that she would be kidnapped by the very man her 'roommate' supposedly killed and then smuggle him back into Konoha. When she was ready, she followed him out of the small abandoned house and they headed towards the Hidden Leaf, remaining wordless throughout their travels.

**_::_**

**_End Chapter 10_**

_This chapter took me awhile to write, it was hard getting it to flow since I hadn't updated in quite a few days. I hope you all enjoyed it! Chapter 11 coming soon!_


	11. Chapter 11 - One Week

_Sorry for the wait, I have been battling writers block. Heres Chapter 11!_

**_Chapter 11 - One Week_**

**_::_**

Lady Tsunade walked out of her office followed closely by Shizune. After dismissing Sasuke, she called her aid into the office and told her to gather four ANBU agents and to have them wait for her at the entrance gate. Shizune gave her a puzzled look but she knew better then to ask, which made things easier for Tsunade. She wasn't about to tell anyone who was coming into the village.

It had been about 5 hours since her correspondence with her apprentice and it was getting close to their arrival time. She herself would be there to greet them. Thinking back to just before she left her office, she had sent a slug to find Sakura with a simple note.

_'Make sure he is Henged.'_

A fast response let her know that Sakura had gotten the message, stating she understood. That was enough for her, all she needed to do was wait for the pink-haired Kunoichi and her 'visitor'.

"M'Lady, should we prepare a medical staff?" Shizune's voice broke Tsunade out of her thoughts. They had reached the entrance gate and they were standing there, waiting while the four ANBU waited a little ways away.

"No, Sakura and I will handle this ourselves. This is a rather... special case." She fixed Shizune with a stern look that told the woman not to ask anymore on it.

They fell into silence as the time ticked by achingly slow. The darker it got, the more nervous Tsunade got about her apprentice traveling with a known Akatsuki member who was supposed to be dead. He was a very dangerous man.

"Lady Tsunade! I see Sakura!" Shizune spoke loud to gain the Hokage's attention. The blond haired woman whipped her head around and looked into the darkness outside of the village, seeing a slight hint of pink running their way. She felt her stomach flip as she breathed a sigh of relief. Stepping into the middle of the entrance, she crossed her arms over her voluptuous bosom and stared forward with her honey colored orbs as her apprentice came into view accompanied by what appeared to be a tall man with reddish-blond hair and brown eyes. He was nothing significant to look at, infant he wasn't that attractive whatsoever, his face was very forgettable. Uchiha did a good job with the henge.

"Shishou!" Sakura called out when she was a few feet away, slowing down until she and her guest were walking. They approached the Hokage, the ANBU forming a line behind her. "This is my new patient, er... Hisoka." Sakura realized at that moment that they hadn't thought of a name and that was the first one to come to mind. It seemed to match his personality nicely but she wondered how Itachi would take to the pseudonym. She didn't want to risk looking at him though, incase the ever observant ANBU noticed.

"Well, Hisoka, lets get moving then." Tsunade fixed a hard look on Itachi before turning on her heel and walking away, sending a silent signal for them to follow. Shizune fell into line, followed by Sakura and Itachi, leaving the four ANBU trailing. They all walked in relative silence through the streets of Konoha, finding themselves in front of the hospital within minutes.

Lady Tsunade turned to face her shadows and waved the ANBU off. "You are dismissed." Moments later all four vanished leaving the remaining four alone. As she placed her hands on her hips, she turned towards Shizune and nodded once. "You are dismissed as well."

"Yes, M'Lady." Said woman spoke before turning and walking off at a quick pace back to the Hokage Tower. When she vanished from sight, the blond woman turned to the other two, a stern look on her face.

"I will have to place you in a protected ward until I figure out what to do with you. I am not happy about having you here but I am sure Sakura had a good reason for insisting you be allowed within the village gates." Her gaze turned towards her apprentice, narrowing her eyes. "You have one week. I will keep this from the elders for now but if he proves to be too much to handle, I will alert them and let Ibiki take him." Her eyes shifted back to 'Hisoka'. "Do I make myself clear?" Her honey colored orbs glared at the henged man, willing him to dispute.

"Understood." Both Sakura and Itachi spoke at once. Tsunade nodded and turned towards the hospital doors, pushing them open. The nurse behind the desk waved at the Hokage but Tsunade ignored it, leading the other two down a hall towards the stairways. There were to ways to go once through the doors, either ascending or descending. Tsunade turned to the left, indicating they would be going underground. They both followed without speaking a word, going down flight after flight of stairs.

Sakura was about to ask where they were going when Tsunade turned towards a hallway at the base of their current staircase. She guessed that they were about 7 levels underground now, not even knowing it went down this low. At the end of the hallway there was an armored door that needed a security jutsu to open. Sakura watched her Shishou complete a few complicated hand signs before the door opened on oddly silent hinges. The hall on the opposite side was rather dark with numerous doors lining its way. Tsunade walked past them until she stopped at yet another door near the end. A few more hand signs later, they found themselves in another, dark hallway. There was only four doors here and Tsunade stepped towards the first one on her right, and pushed it open. The door glided open and reveled a rather large room with a fair sized bed, a desk with chair, bookshelf and closet. Stepping inside, she turned to face the two.

"This is where Hisoka will remain. I will fill out the proper paperwork under his assumed name. You are to talk with nobody about this, Sakura. This floor is heavily guarded by jutsu that Jariya taught me long ago, only I can enter. I will teach you the signs." Her eyes drifted to the pink haired woman before she looked at Itachi. "Alone."

"Yes, Shishou." Sakura said before turning to look at her new patient. He was stone faced as he looked back at the Hokage. She found herself wondering what was running through his mind at that moment.

"In the hall before this you will find a laboratory that is fully stocked, a library, a kitchen that is also stocked and a few other rooms. In this hall there is a large bathroom right next to this room, another library and another bedroom. You will need the hand signs to get into and leave this area. Each time one of the protected doors closes, the jutsu reforms." Tsunade spoke as she stepped towards the door. She turned to look at Sakura again. "Come with me for a few minutes, I will teach you the signs before I leave." She exited the door, Sakura following after. In the hallway, Tsunade walked Sakura through the signs until she was sure that the pink-haired woman remembered them.

"Remember. One week. 7 days." Tsunade warned before walking out of the hallway, the heavy door shutting soon after. With a sigh, Sakura walked back to Itachi's new room and opened the door. She started when she saw that he had dropped the henge, reveling his true self again. He looked so much like Sasuke, whom she assumed was waiting impatiently for her back at their shared apartment. The thought of having to face him after finding out his brother was still alive made her shiver.

"I need to go home now... my... er, roommate, will be expecting me. I will return in the morning and we can get started with your eyes." Sakura said slowly, measuring her words as she spoke. She didn't think it would be a good idea to tell the older Uchiha that she was sharing an apartment with his younger brother. This is so awkward.

"Who's your roommate?" Itachi turned fully to face her, a slight smirk on his lips. He gave her a knowing look that caused Sakura to pale.

_'Does he know? How in the hell does he know?!' _Sakura yelled in her mind, trying to compose herself, the last thing she needed to do was to let her guard down around the most wanted criminal in Konoha.

"That's none of your business, Uchiha. I will be back early. Goodnight." She squared her shoulders and turned on her heel, reaching for the door. She could feel his eyes on her, burning holes into her skull.

"Tell Sasuke I said hi." Itachi spoke after her, his tone almost taunting. Sakura turned to look at him with an eyebrow raised.

"What makes you think it's your brother?" She spoke in the best monotone she could muster while she felt unnerved and slightly creeped out that he somehow knew.

"Hn. Goodnight." He stated with a slight smirk before turning away from her. Sakura sighed and walked out of his room, closing the door behind her. Going the hand signs, she let herself out of the isolated hallways and walked up the stairs to the main part of the hospital.

**_'Are you going to tell our man about his brother?'_ **Inner piped up as Sakura exited the hospital. Inner had been silent for awhile, though Sakura hadn't noticed. The sudden voice made her jump slightly before composing herself.

_'There are a few things wrong with what you just asked. First, no I cannot tell him, you heard our Shishou, and second, Sasuke is NOT our man!' _Sakura hissed at her Inner self, annoyed with the way Inner was so readily accepting Sasuke while Sakura was, needless to say, hesitant.

**_'Admit it, you like Sasuke still!'_ **Inner shrieked in Sakura's mind, causing her to wince outwardly. With a sigh, Sakura tried to keep herself calm.

_'No, I do not like Sasuke. He is my teammate, nothing more. Now go away.' _Sakura spat out at her Inner self. She really did not want to be having this conversation right now. Inner protested but Sakura managed to ignore her as she walked up the stairs to her apartment. The door was locked like always so she dug in her pocket for her key and unlocked the door. It was dark inside so she wondered if Sasuke was even home.

Stepping inside, she closed the door behind her and flicked on the lights. She looked at the floor as she removed her shoes, one hand pressed against the door for leverage. She didn't notice the other person sitting in a chair, arms crossed over his chest, staring at her.

"Where were you?" Sakura jumped, almost losing her balance as she turned too quickly to look in the direction of the voice. She saw Sasuke sitting a little ways away in a chair, clearly waiting for her return.

"Sasuke! You scared me." Sakura spoke a little too high pitched as she patted her chest with her hand.

"Where were you?" He repeated, his face showing no emotion as he watched her. His onyx hued eyes were drilling holes into her as she tried to calm herself down. They both fell into a silence as Sakura pushed away from the door and walked around Sasuke, collapsing onto the couch. He finally got up, arms still crossed as he walked over to the couch and sat at the opposite end, turned enough to look at her. With a sigh, Sakura decided to answer, unable to win the silent battle of wills.

"I found a patient today, I had to perform my medical duties." Sakura tried to keep her tone flat, hiding any hint of false truth between the words.

"And?" Sasuke asked, knowing there was more to say and feeling slightly irritated with her lack of information.

"And nothing else, I am really tired and I have a shift tomorrow. Goodnight." Sakura said rather quickly as she stood up from the couch, walking to her room. She didn't give Sasuke time to reply, stepping inside her room and locking the door. Thinking better of the idea, she slid her desk chair over to the door and positioned it under the knob so that he couldn't open it.

With that, Sakura collapsed onto her bed, exhausted from her day of strangeness. Not only did the older Uchiha kidnap her, but he also let her go and returned with her within a matter of hours. It was almost as if he was looking for an excuse to return to Konoha without being arrested. With that thought in her head, Sakura slipped into sleep.

**_::_**

**_End Chapter 11_**

_I hope you like this chapter, I know its short but at least its something! R&R_


	12. Chapter 12 - Uchihas

_Whew, posting a chapter rather quickly this time, sorry again for taking so long on the previous one. Thank you to all of you who posted reviews, faved and followed this story! Its amazing to have so many enjoy it._

**_Chapter 12 - Uchihas_**

**_::_**

It took Sakura all her will to sneak out of the apartment fairly early that following morning. Sasuke was still in his room, sleeping she assumed. When she crawled out of bed and went to shower, she wondered if it would wake him but apparently it didn't. With a sigh, she walked through the still sleeping streets of Konoha, preparing herself for a long day of trying to heal a very intricate Kekkei Genkai known as Sharingan. The advanced levels of Sharingan that the particular older Uchiha managed to achieve was causing a rapid deterioration of his eyes and she was focused on fixing this first.

When she had explored the damage of his eyes, she noticed a hint of something else making him ill but decided to push that the the back of her mind for now, his vision was important. She only had a week to fully restore his vision and for him to prove that he would not harm those in the village.

As Sakura walked, her thoughts shifted to what he had told her about the real reason he had massacred his clan. Nobody in the village knew that truth save for herself and the elders. She had already hated them with a passion, this just made her hate them even more. If only she had a way to prove it to Tsunade that he was ordered to do what he did but she didn't know where to begin. Would she even be able to convince Itachi to confess to the Hokage?

"Good morning, Sakura-san." Sakura was brought out of her thoughts as she entered the hospital and the nurse stationed behind the help desk greeted her. Sakura smiled and waved, choosing to remain silent. Just before she reached the desk, she turned down a hall and began her trek down to the very labyrinth beneath the hospital.

**_::_**

After ten minutes of walking down stairs and through secretly sealed doors, she finally found herself outside of the older Uchiha's room. It was eerily quiet down here, nothing could be heard, but that was to be expected. She guessed it was right around 6am by now and wondered if Uchiha Itachi was grouchy if woken too early. Stealing herself for an argument over getting up, she knocked on the door softly. She didn't need to knock too hard, there was no other noise to distract from it.

"Come in, Haruno-san." She heard Itachi's voice say from the other side. He sounded tired but awake, did he sleep the night before? Or was he just an early riser? Shrugging her questions off, she turned the knob and opened the door, stepping into his room.

Itachi was sitting on his bed, his back propped against the headboard while his legs stretched out in front of him, ankles crossed as he appeared to be reading a book. He looked up at her as she walked in, stone faced as usual. Sakura inwardly sighed, not knowing why she expected him to be any friendlier then his younger brother.

"How long have you been awake?" Sakura's voice was soft, she didn't feel the need to speak any louder. The silence around them was enough to tell her that if she spoke loudly, it would echo off every wall on the floor. Itachi didn't respond right away, instead he closed the book he was holding and laid it on the bedside table before folding his hands in his lap, his eyes back on her. He seemed to be regarding her almost, causing her to take a step back.

"I didn't sleep last night." He finally replied, activating his Sharingan to get a better look at her. When his eyes focused the best they could, he noticed a hint of irritation in her eyes as the corners of her mouth pulled down into a frown.

"Not only did you not rest for today but you are using the very thing that is destroying your sight. Deactivate it. Now." Medic mode took over instantly as she saw the red appear in his eyes. She walked over to him, arms crossed over her chest as she waited for him to follow her order. For a few moments he remained unphased and continued to look at her with through his Kekkei Genkai but finally she saw it fade away, replaced by his onyx hues that rivaled his brother. Itachi, by far, was much more handsome then Sasuke but now was not the time to drool over his good looks. She had work to do.

"That's better." She stated simply before sitting down on his bed beside him, turning enough to face him fully. Itachi didn't notice until now that she had brought a scroll with her until she laid it by his knee. Other then his eyes moving to follow Sakura's movements, he remained motionless. Sakura raised her hands towards his face rather slowly, remembering how he had flinched the previous day when she tried to touch him. After a moment, she covered his eyes with her hands, palms pressing lightly against the lids as she closed her own eyes and began to let her green tinted chakra flow through him.

She probed into his eyes, locating the individual networks that his chakra flowed through to use his sharingan. She counted under her breath as she found each path and calculated the damage each one had. Some were still in decent condition but for the most part they were fried. It would take a few sessions to reverse the damage. With a slight sigh, she pulled her hands away from his face and reached down for the scroll, ignoring his questioning look as she quickly wrote down her findings while they were still fresh in her mind.

"Well?" Itachi finally asked after becoming slightly irritated by the kunoichi's silence. Sakura didn't look up at him until her last note was written down, laying the scroll open across her lap.

"You have pretty much destroyed your eyes with the continual use of your Sharingan. I can reverse it but it will take longer then expected. I will need you to activate each stage of Sharingan that you possess so I can catalog it and after that you are not allowed to use it again until your eyes are fully healed." Sakura's medic mode was still present, he was her patient after all and she would order him to do what was needed so that he could heal.

"Hn." The typical Uchiha reply was starting to grate on Sakura's nerves. She had to deal with it now while she was caring for Itachi and she would have to hear it from Sasuke at home. Why couldn't she escape it?

"I'll take that as a 'yes I understand'." Sakura spoke in a slightly raised tone before turning back to Itachi and shooting him a glare. He glared back at her, entering them both into a glaring contest. Sakura would not lose this, if she blinked or turned away first then she knew he wouldn't take her seriously. At this moment she needed to win this battle of wills. She needed to better the Uchiha.

Moments grew into minutes as they continued to glare at each other, neither of them moving even an inch during the stare-off. Sakura's intense emerald hues bored into Itachi's onyx. If anyone were to walk in on this, they would have been able to cut the tension between then with a kunai. Itachi never let anyone give him an order except for when he was still a leaf shinobi and Pein, leader of the Akatsuki. He was defiantly not going to let this little pink haired, fair skinned kunoichi get the better of him.

Sakura could feel her eyes drying from lack of blinking but she refused to give in. He needed to know she meant business while he was in her care.

**_'His eyes are so sexy...'_ **Inner's comment hit Sakura out of nowhere as she narrowed her eyes at the stoic Uchiha. She almost lost her handle on the contest but managed to keep hold. Her mind shifted to yell at that pesky Inner.

_'Where the hell did that come from?! There's nothing about him that's sexy so keep your comments to yourself!' _Sakura yelled at herself, trying to rid herself of that very uncalled for comment.

**_'I'm in YOUR head Sakura, it's your thought not just mine. I just have the guts to say what you don't.'_**Inner retorted, defending her comment.

_'Ugh... just be quiet, I am busy incase you haven't been able to tell.' _Sakura stated in a bored tone. She really didn't want to think these things about the older Uchiha considering she was confused enough about Sasuke as it is. Last thing she needed was another person to complicate things in her normal, boring life.

**_'You should kiss him.'_**Inner offered, sounding slightly hopeful. It took Sakura by surprise, causing her to yet again stumble in the competition. She realized that Itachi noticed she was faltering and intensified his glare. Great.

_'SHUT UP! I am trying to win this battle of wills here! You are not helping at all!' _Sakura screeched at herself, feeling her cheeks flush. Was that just on the inside or was she blushing visibly as well? She hoped not...

**_'You know you want to, maybe hes better then Sasuke, he is older and more experienced afterall.'_ **Inner deducted as Sakura tried desperately to ignore her very annoying inner self. Why oh why was she prone to appearing when Sakura least wanted her to?

_'I never once thought about that and I don't care to find ou-' _Sakura cut herself off as she noticed something in Itachi's eyes shift. He wasn't glaring anymore, but his eyes more more intense. Almost like he was simply gazing. _'Wait... what's going on here?' _Sakura thought to herself, finally managing to push Inner away so that she was alone with her thoughts.

Sakura felt herself drawing back away from Itachi as his look began to unnerve her. What was he planning? She was no longer glaring either, her eyes opening wider until she was looking at him with slight confusion and hesitation. Itachi's body began to follow hers, sending her heart to flutter from his closeness. What he was doing was beyond the normal patient/medic standard.

Sakura was leaning back far enough now that she was leaning against the bed with her elbows, staring at him with wide, confused eyes. He leaned down until their noses were nearly touching, holding her gaze with his. She had no idea what he was thinking, let alone feeling. He remained stoic as he breached her personal space.

**_'KISS HIM!'_**Inner yelled in her head, causing her to unintentionally wince outwardly. Something glinted in Itachi's eyes when he watched her wince, knowing he had won the battle. The corner of his mouth pulled up into a smirk but he remained where he was, hovering slightly over the small kunoichi.

_'What do I do? What the hell do I do?' _Sakura asked over and over trying to figure a way out of this uncomfortable situation. If she didn't do something now, she would lose control over him and Tsunade would intervene. She instantly raised her right hand and swung it, chakra-free, towards the Uchiha. She must have caught him off guard because the sound of her palm slapping against his face echoed around the otherwise silent room. His eyes shot open in surprise as he moved away from her quickly, his own hand raising to his now red cheek.

Sakura's own eyes widened from surprise, she hadn't realized what she had done until she felt her hand stinging from striking him. She flung herself off his bed and ran across the room, wanting desperately to leave the room before he could retaliate.

"Haruno-san, come back here." Sakura froze as she heard Itachi order her back to him. His voice was laced with what she could only guess to be irritation. She turned slowly until she faced him, willing herself to walk back to the Uchiha, her eyes locked on the floor. Konoha's most wanted S- Class criminal was going to get even with her and there was nobody who could stop it.

She kept moving until her shins bumped against the bed frame, her arms dangling at her sides. Her head was bent low enough so that her hair shadowed her eyes. She sighed inwardly, closing her eyes before speaking. She had heard from Kakashi-sensai about Itachi's Genjutsu and she knew if she didn't look at him in any way, he couldn't trap her.

"Yes, Uchiha-san?" She asked slowly, trying to keep her voice even as to not reveal her terror. Sakura played with the hem of her shirt as she waited for whatever he was going to do. Her eyes closed tighter as her mind ran through many different scenarios. She was imagining one particularly painful one when she felt something cool yet warm touch under her chin. Flinching away automatically, her head shot up and her eyes locked on the older Uchiha. His hand was still raised from where he had touched her, a smirk on his lips.

"We have work to do." He said simply before crossing his arms again, making room for her to sit beside him. Sakura remained rooted to her spot for a moment, puzzled by his actions. Was he really not going to get even? apparently not. Sakura sat down softly on the bed where she had been a little while ago and collected her scroll off of Itachi. She looked back at him and saw his Sharingan activated, letting her know he was going to cooperate afterall.

They fell into silence as Itachi let her probe when needed between writing her notes. Each time she raised her hands to his eyes and let her green healing chakra flow into him he felt content. Her chakra felt rather soothing to his sore eyes and each time she pulled away he felt disappointed. The memory of what had happened earlier began to fade away, almost as if it never happened. The only reminder was Itachi's still red cheek that stung slightly.

**_::_**

It was around noon when Sakura stood up from the bed, stretching her sore back. Looking over at the older Uchiha, she noticed that he wasn't moving from his spot. Wondering if something was wrong, she walked around to the other side of the bed and knelt beside him, brow furrowed.

"Uchiha-san, are you alright?" Sakura asked softly, her voice barely above a whisper. She had no idea how long he had had that disease but now that it was gone, the only thing left was his eyes and then who knows what the Hokage would do with him.

"Hn." He replied in his stoic tone, opening his eyes to look at the pinkette. She set her jaw at the sound of the obviously genetic Uchiha 'Hn'.

"Fine, be silent. I'm going to go make some lunch. Since we are the only two in here you can come with me but if you prefer, I will bring some back to you." Sakura stood up and placed her hands on her hips, getting a little irritated with him. Why her, of all people, did she need to be thrown so close to the two last Uchihas.

Sakura turned away from him, not waiting for an answer but stopped in her tracks when she felt one of his hands enclose around her wrist in an almost vice-like grip. She turned around to demand what he wanted but the words escaped her. Did Itachi look... sad? His onyx eyes were fixed on her, she moved back to where she was and knelt down again. He didn't say anything, nor did she, all she did was manage to wrench her wrist out of his hand and hold it between both of hers as she felt concerned for him.

"I'll come back, Uchiha-san, you need to eat to keep your strength up." Sakura spoke quietly as her mind whirled. What was going on with him? He remained silent as their eyes locked and Sakura felt her heart flutter slightly as she saw just how vulnerable he actually was. She looked over his features slowly, taking in just how attractive he really was. She let her eyes fall along the outline of his jaw, it looked strong and yet soft. His eyes were gorgeous, paling Sasukes by comparison. She let her eyes move down to his nose, it was sharp and yet small, complimenting him nicely. Last, she found his lips. They looked narrow, her guess from not smiling much in his life.

As she took in his features, Itachi kept quiet as he watched her reactions. He wondered what was going through her mind but whatever it was, she kept squeezing his hand tighter. He was about to let her know that her grasp was a little too tight when her eyes shot up to look at his, her face visibly paling. He smirked softly at her embarrassment from spending such a long moment taking in his looks.

Sakura cleared her throat lightly as she mentally slapped herself. If she hadn't caught herself before she acted on impulse, she would have followed Inner's suggestion and kissed him. That probably would have been worse then slapping the man. Standing up, she slid her hands from his and walked out of the room quickly, not giving him a chance to say anything else. She shut the door behind herself and walked a few steps before her emotions overloaded her mind, slumping against the nearby wall. Her legs gave out, causing her to slide down the wall as one of her hands shot to her mouth, the other on the floor, holding her hunched frame up.

_'What's wrong with me? I'm already in over my head with Sasuke, I can't add his brother into that!' _Sakura screamed at herself inwardly, trying to calm herself down. There must really had to be something wrong with her, only she would be so insanely attracted to not just one but two Uchihas. She wondered if she would have fallen in love with every last one if they were not slain.

_**'There's nothing wrong with us, we just have awesome taste in men!'**_Inner cheered inside her head, clearly not making things any better. Ugh, this was going to be a long week.

**_::_**

**_End Chapter 12_**

_I hope you guys liked this chapter, I was bored so I felt like writing it. I just realized how inconsistant my postings are. LOL._


	13. Chapter 13 - Secret No More

_Yay another chapter! On another note, I was watching that SyFy show "Total Blackout" its great! I was freaking out for those poor people! _

_Anyway, I am going to start writing from different points of view from now on. Sakura's point of view will always be the normal set view so if it switches to someone else I will state so, otherwise I hope y'all enjoy!_

**_Chapter 13 - Secret No More_**

**_::_**

With scroll in hand, Sakura walked back down the hall towards the lab. While she was down here she didn't feel the need to lock the door that separated the first hallway containing the lab and the second containing Itachi's room. She had just gotten back from delivering lunch to the once again stoic Uchiha and grabbed the scroll off of the bed. She would use this time to study her notes and do research on eye repair. Sakura wasn't very well versed in optometry but this was a good excuse to do so.

Sakura settled down into a chair that was infront of a desk. On it was a pile of books and scrolls that she had decided to look through. She opened the scroll with her notes and laid it across the desk, now going into student mode. In this mode almost nothing could disturb her. With a sigh, she dove into the pile of books and scrolls, looking for anything and everything known about sharingan and eye repair. She even looked through the Byakugan notes since both were fairly similar in structure.

As she found useful tips and information, she added notes to the scroll which was quickly filling up. Much to her dismay, there wasn't a whole lot about Sharingan so a lot of her information she found was about other optical Kekkei Genkai's. She made a mental note to probe Itachi's eyes later to compare her notes to the structure of his eyes. If everything seemed ok, she would proceed with beginning to heal them. Maybe this wouldn't take as long as she thought, there were a few different options for repairing the kind of damage that he had without taking a lot of time.

"Haruno-san?" The sound of someone saying her name caused her to jump violently enough to fall out of her chair as she squeaked in surprise. The next thing she knew, she was sitting on the stone floor with one leg still on the chair and a hand holding onto the desk. She mumbled a curse as she swung her leg off the chair and pulled herself up to look at the one standing in the doorway. It didn't surprise her to see it was the older Uchiha, who was now smirking with amusement.

"Yes, Uchiha-san?" Sakura asked in a forced civil tone. The last thing she needed to do was to make her patient mad. She stood up straight and fixed her clothing that had wrinkled from her fall.

"May I join you for awhile?" Itachi asked in his cool velvety voice, not stepping into the lab yet. He had found her amusing, even the most clever kunoichi and shinobi know that one must stay on their guard no matter what but she was too absorbed in her studies that she didn't notice him.

"Sure, I guess." Sakura said slowly as she lowered herself back into her chair, returning almost instantly to her studies. She barely paid attention to Itachi as he brought a chair over and sat down next to her, folding his arms on the desk and looking over her shoulder.

They sat in silence for awhile, Sakura reading through different scrolls and books while Itachi watched her. She found that she liked his company even if they didn't talk, it was one of those comfortable silence times that was rare. Most of the people she would study with normally talked mindlessly but Itachi didn't say anything. She didn't know if it was because he really didn't have anything to say or if it was the Uchiha in him that kept him from speaking.

Sakura found herself thinking more about Itachi and what could possibly be running through his mind that she didn't realize she had been staring at the same page for the last half hour, reading the same sentence over and over without retaining its information.

**_~Itachi's POV~_**

I leaned closer, looking over her shoulder as she read a medical scroll. She had been silent since I sat down and I rather enjoyed her studying so intently. i hadn't been around many females since defecting from Konoha other then Konan but she hardly left Peins side. Most of the women i remembered wouldn't stop talking, mostly about useless things.

I looked at the thing she had been reading though couldn't tell what it read. My vision was bad enough that everything looked like a blur, even the kunoichi sitting so close to me. I could tell she was petite and had feminine features but I couldn't see any real details which was slightly irritating. What I could tell was that the scroll didn't have a lot of words so I began to wonder why she was staring at the page so intently. Leaning a little more forward, I noticed that she had a slightly glazed over look as if she was deep in thought and not reading at all.

_'I wonder what she's thinking about so intently. It must be something important to break the concentration I witnessed earlier.'_ He thought to himself before deciding he wanted to know what was distracting the woman.

"Haruno-san, is something troubling you?" I asked slowly, keeping my tone smooth. I felt the woman jerk from her thoughts as she turned to look at me. I hadn't bothered to move back so when she turned to look at me, she nearly fell out of her chair... _again _from surprise. Acting instantly, I slinked an arm around her waist to keep her from falling to the floor, bringing her back towards me, bodies dangerously close.

"W-what are you d-doing, Uchiha-san?" Sakura squeaked out as she tried to wiggle out of my grasp. We were too close together for her comfort which only enticed me more. There was something about this little pinkette that piqued my curiosity.

"Are you going to answer my question?" I asked, sidestepping hers since I was more curious about what was on her mind at the moment.

"Nothing! Just studying!" She squeaked out again a little too fast and high pitched. I didn't need my sharingan activated or even my ANBU training to know that she was lying.

"I don't believe you, now what's troubling you?" I asked again, smirking as I caught a flash of irritation in her eyes. Good, we were getting somewhere.

"Fine. I was just wondering about something and since you are persistent I don't feel bad about asking." I watched as she turned in her chair to face me better, forgetting that my arm was still around her waist. I smirked at that and decided to leave my arm where it was to see how long it would take for her to push me away.

"Well then, do ask." I smirked more, wondering what she could possibly want to know that I hadn't already told her.

"Why are you alive?" Sakura asked in a light tone indicating it was a sincere question. I drew my arm back from around her and leaned forward on the desk.

_'Why does she want to know something like that? I did tell her to ask but how do I answer something like that?'_ I thought to myself as I looked at the pile of books and scrolls on the desk.

**_~Back to Sakura~_**

Sakura sat silently as she watched Itachi think. She began to wonder if maybe her question hadn't crossed a line maybe. With an inward sigh, she turned back to the scroll in front of her and began to read its contents, clearly letting the topic go.

"The day when Sasuke finally came to kill me, I was genuinely happy that he had followed my plan. At the end of the battle when he delivered his final blow, I was knocked unconscious but not killed. unfortunately he was knocked unconscious as well, giving someone an opportunity to interfere and snatch our bodies. I am not sure who did it, all I know is that I awoke and found my wounds healed. I was missing my Akatsuki cloak and ring so I assume they think I am dead." Itachi explained in deliberate words. Sakura felt he was hiding more but didn't press it. She just decided to nod slightly to acknowledge that she had heard him before returning her attention to the scrolls and books.

_'Wait...'_ Something clicked in her head about something he had said. She laid her scroll down and turned her body towards him, looking at him. He was still leaning on the desk, eyes closed as he appeared to be deep in thought.

"Uchiha-san... did you just say that you aren't in the Akatsuki anymore?" Sakura spoke slowly as she measured the words in her question, wondering if she had heard him correctly. She watched as he opened his eyes and turned to look at her, something flickering in her eyes that she couldn't quite identify.

"Basically, yes. They think I am dead, my belongings stating my alliance with them is gone so I am no longer in the organization." Itachi closed his eyes again after he finished talking, placing his chin in his palm gently. Sakura fell silent again for a few moments before daring herself to speak again.

"So... if you have no place to go after I heal you... what are you going to do?" She had no idea if he was going to answer her but she figured it was worth a try. Since she was going to spend all of her time for the next few days with him, she wanted to know everything she could about him.

"I do not know. I will probably find a place to settle down." He said in a velvety soft voice as he opened his eyes again, looking at her once more. There was an edge in his gaze that made Sakura think he was analyzing her sudden curiosity about his life and it caused her to shrink away slightly.

There was something else she was wanting to say but she knew it wasn't the time to say it. She had a feeling if she pushed further, he would grow impatient with her prying and she would see the S-class criminal in action. With a shudder, she turned back to her work, feeling his gaze still on her.

**_::_**

**_~Sasuke~_**

Sasuke left the apartment he shared with Sakura, determined to find Naruto. He walked a few blocks before he found himself standing in front of Naruto's building. He shoved his hands deeper into his pockets and walked up the stairs to the door he remembered from his childhood. He knocked for a few minutes but there was no answer.

With an inward sigh, he walked back down the stairs, wondering where he should go now.

_'Ichiraku's most likely.' _he thought to himself as he walked down the street, heading towards the ramen stand that Naruto proclaimed to be the best in the world. He actually wasn't surprised to find his blond friend sitting there, eating his fourth bowl of ramen.

Sasuke walked over to where Naruto was sitting and sank down into a chair, crossing his arms over his chest. He waisted no time in speaking.

"Naruto, I need you to find out what Sakura is hiding from me." He spoke in his stoic velvety voice, ignoring the disgusting slurping sounds coming from his teammate.

"How am I supposed to do that?" Naruto replied, mouth full of noodles. It was amazing he didn't spit his food out while trying to speak.

"I don't care how, just do it." Sasuke ordered as he narrowed his eyes at the blond nin.

"Well, alright, but I'm not promising anything, you know how she is." Naruto said under his breath as he returned to his lunch, shoveling the noodles in like there was no tomorrow.

"Hn." Sasuke snipped at him before getting up and leaving the ramen stand, shoving his hands back in his pockets. The only other person who would know was the Godaime Hokage herself and she would never tell him. With an inward sigh, he started walking to the hospital. Maybe he could corner her and force her to give him the information he desired.

**_::_**

**_~Sakura~_**

It was getting later in the afternoon before Sakura finally closed the last book she had brought over. The scroll she was scribbling her notes on was nearly full now, much to her excitement. She had found lots of useful information within the texts and her confidence in restoring the older Uchiha's eyesight was pretty high.

With a groan, she stood up and stretched her aching muscles. She had ben sitting for quite some time now and didn't realize how much she was needing to more around. Itachi had since retreated back to his room, the atmosphere around them became an unsufferable awkward after her questions. Granted they weren't very bad but he was an Uchiha afterall. Asking how his day was going was a major intrusion into his personal life.

Sakura busied herself by returning every book and scroll to their places in the immense library before rolling her notes up and leaving the lab. She walked to the door at the end of the hallway that would lead to were Itachi's room was. She intended on leaving the scroll with him so that nobody would see it and question her reasons for having such notes.

She reached the door but a whoosh of familiarity washed over her as she felt another presence approaching the secret ward. Her face paled when she recognized it as Sasuke's and she instantly concealed her own chakra as she walked through the door and locked it with Tsunade's personal jutsu.

Sakura turned towards the hall and walked to Itachi's room, slipping inside quickly, shutting the door with a soft click behind her. She ignored the older Uchiha's irritated glance as she added the lock to his door before turning around to face him. At that point he was standing, his red sharingan flickering at her as the corners of his mouth pulled down into a frown.

"What's the meaning of this, Haruno-san?" He asked in his velvety voice, sending shivers up her spine. Her face was still paled and he noticed her looking disturbed.

"Sasuke is coming this way, mask your chakra and for Kami's sake disable your sharingan!" Sakura's voice was just above a whisper as she walked to the side table by his bed and dropped the scroll in the drawer before sliding it closed.

"Hn. I always keep it masked." Itachi replied as he sat back down on his bed, crossing is arms over his chest. He watched her pace around the room as she silently thought of a way to handle this situation. Suddenly she stopped in mid step and dropped to her knees, biting her thumb and doing the signs needed to summon. Moments later, a small blue and white slug appeared in a cloud of smoke.

"Lady Sakura, what can I do for you?" The small slug asked as Sakura paid no attention, quickly scribbling a note down and attaching it to the creature, sending her away. When she looked up at Itachi, he raised a questionative eye brow at her.

"I alerted Lady Tsunade to Sasuke's snooping around. Hopefully sh-"

_'BOOM'_

Sakura was cut off mid sentence as an explosion of sorts shook Itachi's room, sending Sakura sprawling out on the floor. Her face paled even more as she scrambled away from the door, trying to make her way to the other side of the bed for cover. Itachi was beside her within moments, dragging her the rest of the way until they were both hidden behind the bed, Sakura's body pressed extremely close to his side, his arm around her waist protectively.

"What was that?" Sakura ventured a quiet whisper into Itachi's ear, not wanting to risk anything louder. Her body was trembling slightly while the Uchiha next to her held an air of calmness as he looked over the bed at the door.

Itachi didn't reply as he tightened his grip around her. From a distance, Sakura felt another familiar presence approach. It was Tsunade. A rush of relief washed over her at the thought of the Hokage receiving her message. It quickly got closer and Sakura assumed she had found Sasuke. A series of shouts confirmed that though she couldn't make out the words.

All fell silent within moments, causing Sakura and Itachi to look at each other with confusion. Fearing the worst was about to happen, Sakura sank lower to the floor, unknowingly bringing Itachi with her. They laid next to each other in the eery silence as footsteps could be heard echoing in the hallway coming closer to the door.

Sakura felt herself hold her breath as the doorknob twisted and the creaked open. It had to be Tsunade since she was the only other who could break the jutsu. From the space underneath the hospital bed, she watched the door open and Tsunade enter followed by another.

"Sakura, we have a problem." Tsunade's husky voice spoke into the silence of the room as her eyes looked around the visibly empty space as she tried to locate her apprentice and her patient.

**_::_**

**_End Chapter 13_**

_Yay cliffhanger! I hope you all enjoyed it! Chapter 14 coming soon!_


	14. Chapter 14 - Unwanted Triangle

_Chapter 14 is here, I am posting this rather quickly after Chapter 13, I felt like writing it right away._

_A/N: I learned a new word today~ Collywobbles - refers to butterflies in ones tummy or nerves._

**_Chapter 14 - Unwanted Triangle_**

**_::_**

"Stay. Down." Sakura whispered, barely audible directly into Itachi's ear before she stood up to look at the Hokage who was now in his room. She tried to calm her pounding heart as she looked over at her Shishou and not surprisingly, Sasuke. He was glaring at her in return, clearly not impressed with her secret.

"What problem is that, Shishou?" Sakura asked, trying to keep all hint of panic out of her voice, her hands baling into fists as she tried to keep her face stoic.

"Sasuke here, is too nosy for his own good. He now knows who you are treating. There's no point in hiding him anymore." Tsunade growled out as she glared at the younger Uchiha who was standing next to her. He didn't notice as he continued to glare at Sakura, causing her to shrink back.

They fell into a moment long silence as a shuffle could be heard from the floor soon followed by Itachi standing up next to Sakura. He locked his eyes on his little brother who in turn shifted his eyes to return the heated glare.

"This ward has been compromised thanks to Sasuke. He decided it would be a good idea to use his Chidori on the door so now anyone can just come in." Tsunade explained as she walked into the room, now standing between the two Uchihas.

"Well what are we going to do with him then?" Sakura asked tentativly, braving a glance at the Uchiha standing next to her. His face showed no emotion as his black orbs locked with his younger brothers.

"We can't just let him wander around the village but I did give you one week. So, this evening you are to take him back to your apartment. He will stay there where he can be under your constant supervision. You are to take a leave from your medic duties." Tsunade ordered, taking note of Sakura's eyes flickering disbelief, her face paling yet again.

"You can't be serious! I already have to share with Sasuke, now you are going to force me to have yet another Uchiha?" Sakura was all but yelling, drawing the attention of the brothers towards her as she walked around the bed and stood in front of the Hokage. "They will kill each other!" She shrieked, throwing her hands up in the air.

"No they won't. Not if your around. Now pack everything you need and take him to your apartment immediately. I'll order another futon to be sent over." Sakura wondered why her Shishou was continuously pushing her into uncomfortable situations such as this.

"Just look at how they are glaring at each other..." Sakura looked at the two Uchiha brothers, noticing that they were in fact watching her, Itachi looking amused while Sasuke looked rather pissed. "well, they were glaring. It's too much of a risk to have them both there!" She growled out the last part of her sentence, squeezing her hands into fists hard enough to draw blood. Tsunade looked at her after glancing towards the two brothers.

"There is no room for discussion on this. Sasuke, Itachi. You BOTH will SHARE Sakura's apartment and you will NOT fight. I don't care if you ignore each other but you are not allowed to attack in any way." Tsunade's gruff voice had gotten even deeper, more menacing and Sakura recognized it. This was the tone she used just before unleashing her unnatural strength upon someone who angered her. Sakura's face paled yet again as she quickly rushed to the side table and fished out her scroll of notes.

"Good. At least Sakura understands my orders. Now MOVE!" The Godaime yelled towards the Uchihas. Sasuke walked out of the room while Itachi proceeded to gather the few possessions he did have and waited for Sakura before leaving the room.

As they walked, Tsunade produced a hooded cloak that Sakura could have sworn she didn't see her have only moments ago and told the older Uchiha to put it on to conceal himself. He obeyed the order as he walked swiftly at Sakura's left side, Sasuke on her right. The younger brother kept shooting glares at Itachi over Sakura's head while said pink haired girl stared straight ahead, remaining quiet.

**_::_**

The walk through Konoha from the hospital to Sakura's apartment was relatively quiet. Tsunade had left them and returned to the Hokage Tower just after leaving the hospital. Both the Uchiha's remained at Sakura's sides, much to her irritation. She just wanted them to leave her alone but she began to realize that what she wanted may never happen.

_'What have I done to piss off Kami so much?' _Sakura asked herself. Now more then ever she wanted Inner's input but she didn't say a thing, irritating Sakura even more. She felt utterly alone, who else in Konoha would have been stuck with this task of babysitting the last two remaining members of the Uchiha clan who hated each other?

It took them about 20 minutes to reach the home Sakura once claimed as her own. It was bad enough when she was ordered to allow Sasuke to live there but now that Itachi would as well... it no longer felt like home to her. She stepped up to the door and unlocked it, walking in first. Sasuke was the second one to enter, walking to his room and slamming the door shut, leaving Sakura and Itachi alone. Once Itachi entered his new temporary home, he closed the door and locked it out of old habit.

Sakura walked into the kitchen and opened the fridge absent mindedly as Itachi sat down at the small table, dropping hi travel bag on top of it. The sound of the thunk startled Sakura, causing her to smack the back of her head against the inside of the fridge, rattling the glass bottles inside. Itachi glanced up at her, smirking slightly as Sakura groaned, rubbing her head after slamming the door shut.

"I blame you." Sakura stated as she plopped herself down in a chair across from Itachi who was still smirking at her pain. This man was truly cruel.

"Hn." He replied, dropping the smirk from his lips. He crossed his arms over his chest as he sat back in the chair, watching the girl in front of him. After a few minutes of healing the bump that had formed on her head, she crossed her arms on the table top and rested her forehead on her arms with another groan.

"You will stay in my room for the time being. When the futon arrives, I will set it up in the livingroom. I would much rather you be in a room with a lock on the door as opposed to sleeping out in the open where you are a prime target for Sasuke." She spoke quietly, suddenly feeling very exhausted. Her apartment had only two bedrooms and that meant that one of them would have to sleep in the livingroom. At least this way she would be able to leave if she felt like it without causing much commotion.

"I must disagree with your logic, Haruno-san. I assure you I will be quite alright in the living room." Itachi said in a soft tone, causing Sakura to look up at him. He smirked at her again when their eyes connected with each other.

"Fine. I'm not going to argue with you. If Sasuke tries to kill you, do me a favor and don't bother me." Sakura said in as cold of a tone that she could muster, reminding herself she owes neither Uchiha any favors let alone kindness.

"Hn." The older Uchiha snorted at her as he closed his eyes. Sakura resisted an urge to throw a punch at him so instead, she pushed her chair away from the table and got up, walking into the living room and collapsing on the couch. She fell in such a way that her legs, bent at the knee, hung over the arm of the couch, her torso and head stretching across two of the three cushions. Her right arm that was closest to the back of the couch fell above her head while her left arm fell to the floor, the back of her hand resting just under the table in front of the couch.

Sakura closed her eyes after a few moments, feeling the exhaustion from the day try and take over her body but she knew she couldn't give in yet, she still needed to wait for the delivery. A slight shuffling sound brought her back to conciousness but she decided to keep her eyes closed, not wanting to give whoever was shuffling her attention. A few moments later she felt the cushion above her head sag as someone sat down. With an inward sigh, she opened her eyes and looked at the cause of the sag.

_'Itachi'_

"Ugh... do you have to sit so close?" Sakura murmured as she closed her eyes again, moving her right arm away from him, chosing to lay it across her chest.

"Hn." He said... again. Kami she hated that reply so much. She had heard enough of it from Sasuke and now she would have to hear it from his brother.

"Whatever." Sakura retorted as she tried to make herself more comfortable but realized that with Itachi sitting right by her head she wouldn't have much luck accomplishing that task so instead she turned to look at the far wall, staring at nothing.

They fell into another silence as Sakura became lost in her own thoughts, wondering what would happen after the week's trial was up. How would they live for the next week? How would she stop them from fighting?

The sound of a knock on the front door snapped her back to reality quickly followed by Itachi standing up from the couch. She watched him head to the door but she shot to her feet and grabbed the back of his shirt, dragging him quickly down the hall where she pushed him into her room.

"Stay in here!" She hissed at him before closing the door and running to let the delivery person enter with the futon. She had the man lay it in the corner by a book shelf before showing him out and locking the door again. With a sigh, she walked to her room and opened the door, finding Itachi standing in the exact spot where she left him. He hadn't moved one inch which she found odd. She brushed past him and dug in her closet for fresh sheets, a blanket and a pillow before fumbling with the mass of linen as she walked out to the living room. Itachi followed her out, finding her struggles amusing as he watched her collapse with the pile of sheets on the new futon.

It took Sakura quite a few minutes to make the temporary bed but when she was finished she laid down on it, panting from the efforts. Itachi was sitting on the couch again, smirking at her. He was leaning forward with her elbows on her knees, hands folded together.

Sakura rolled her eyes at him before sitting up and raising an eyebrow at him. A sly smile appeared on her lips just before she spoke.

"You are nothing like Sasuke and yet you are both exactly the same. It's rather creepy." She stated with pride in her voice. If she was going to get through this with her sanity, she was going to at least get in a few of her own punches to their egos.

"I am nothing like my foolish little brother. If I were him I would have claimed you as my own quite some time ago." Itachi responded to her in an almost velvety purr. Sakura's face paled for the hundredth time that day as he spoke. As if on cue, Sasuke appeared in the living room and glared at Itachi before walking swiftly over to Sakura, grabbing her by her forearms and yanking her up. Before she knew it, she had been slung over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. She felt him turn around to face his brother, grasping her thighs a little too tightly.

"Sakura will stay with me. I do not trust you with her." Sasuke informed his brother before walking out of the living room. Sakura began to protest and beat her fists into his lower back demanding to be put down. She had dignity to uphold after all. As Sasuke approached his designated room, she heard a distinct sound of Itachi chuckling at her, making her face turn red with anger.

"You are not to be alone with him. Ever." Sasuke stated as he tossed her down on his bed before walking back to the door and locking it. He turned back to her and shoved his hands in his pockets, not making eye contact with her directly.

"You have no say over who I am around." Sakura spat out at him as she got off the bed and walked over to the door, intending on leaving. She was beyond pissed now and all she wanted to do was lock herself in her own room and try to forget about the damned Uchihas she was forced to live with.

"Yes I do actually, you are mine, Sakura." Sasuke hissed out as he threw his back to the door, blocking her exit with his body. Sakura snapped her head up and stared at him as she felt the anger rise in her even more, reaching her boiling point.

"Sasuke, move. I am not yours, never was and never will be. You have no right to claim me!" Sakura spat out, her voice raising higher and higher as she spoke.

"I can claim you and I just did. Now go lay down. I'm tired and I want to sleep." Sasuke ordered as he grabbed hold of her left forearm, dragging her back to the bed. Sakura struggled to get away but his grasp was too firm and she knew there would be a bruise in the morning.

"Sasuke! Let go of me!" She yelled at him, yanking her arm out of his grasp finally. She turned on her heel and marched to the door, unlocking it and opening it slightly before Sasuke appeared and slammed it closed, glaring down at her. He moved closer to her, their noses were mere inches apart, his body touching hers. She stepped back away from him but found a corner, instantly trapping her. He rested his arm against the wall above her head, making her shrink down away from him but he caught onto her plan of slipping out from under his arm and pressed a knee between her thighs, pinning her uncomfortably in place.

"You are mine Sa-ku-ra. Get used to it." Sasuke lowered his head until she could feel his breath by her ear, tickling it softly. His voice was really quiet as he purred her name into her ear, causing a shiver to run down her spine.

Sakura felt herself begin to panic, she had no idea of what he was planning on doing to her and she really didn't want to find out. Everything that had happened between them during the mission and after they returned played through her head, making her wonder if he was just playing her. The Sasuke that was standing in front of her at this moment was nothing like the one on the mission. She felt a lump form in her throat as tears prickled her eyes, threatening to spill over.

"Hn. Your pathetically weak, can't even escape from me." He said in a mocking tone, lips brushing against her ear. He was really scaring her now and all she wanted to do was get away from him. He spoke again, pressing his body even closer to hers, she could feel his chest rising with every breath against her own chest, she could even feel the soft thud of his heart beating. "You never stopped being a fangirl, you still love me that's why you won't fight back." His voice was now almost a hiss as he spoke the last of his words. Sakura felt herself becoming more panicked now as she desperately tried to think of a way out but couldn't find one. Suddenly, she felt his lips brushing against her neck just below her ear. She let out a straggled shriek as the tears finally broke over, dampening his shoulder. He let out another hiss as she felt his mouth open and teeth brush her skin before sinking them deep into her neck. She could feel the warmth of her own blood beginning to trickle out of the wounds his teeth inflicted. She let out a cry of pain that echoed around the room, reverberating back at her as if the world was mocking her.

The door flew open and a very furious looking Itachi stormed in, grabbing Sasuke by the back of his shirt and yanking him off of Sakura. She let out a surprised cry before sinking to the floor, knees drawn up to her chest as she cried softly, mixing with the blood that was still flowing from her neck.

"Thats enough Sasuke. She is not yours to claim and you cannot treat her like a possession. You need to show more respect to her." Itachi spoke to Sasuke who he had thrown onto the bed and was glaring at angrily. Sasuke, for the first time since they were kids, looked genuinely afraid. He nodded at his brothers statements before Itachi turned towards Sakura and walked to her, scooping her up in his arms and carrying her out of the room.

Itachi walked across the hall and opened her door, stepping inside. He carried her over to her bed and laid her down, noticing she still hadn't calmed down in the least. With a slight sigh, he walked out of the room and returned moments later with the futon, laying it on the open space in the middle of Sakuras room. She barely noticed as her tears eventually stopped flowing, only to be replaced with hiccups.

"I'm going to stay in here with you. If he comes in, I will be able to intervene anything he has planned." Itachi explained, knowing that she wouldn't hear him, so instead of trying to get her to pay attention to him, he walked to her desk and plucked a few tissues out of the box and returned to the bed, sitting down next to her. He began to wipe her face clean of the tears before mopping up the blood and evaluating the bite mark just above her collarbone.

It didn't take Sakura long to fall asleep, crying always made her sleepy and she let it overtake her. Itachi brushed the pink hair off her forehead softly before placing a gentle kiss between her brows. She had been more then kind enough to him since he had kidnapped her, willing to risk her own life and freedom to hide him and after seeing how his little brother treated her, he vowed silently to guard her with his life. There was something about this pink haired woman that he couldn't figure out but he would do whatever it took to make her happy.

With another light sigh, he laid down on his futon and closed his eyes, falling asleep almost instantly with a soft smile on his lips.

**_::_**

**_End Chapter 14_**

_I hope you all enjoyed this one, I know I did._


	15. Chapter 15 - Conflicted

_Hey all, I want to thank everyone for their reviews! _

**_Chapter 15 - Conflicted_**

**_::_**

Sakura awoke early the following morning to a startling sight: Itachi Uchiha, sprawled out on the futon that he had apparently dragged into her room at some point, twitching slightly from a dream he must have been having while his mouth hung open in a comical manner, drool sliding down his cheek. If the sight wasn't so funny to look at she would have been horrified to find him in her room.

She slid out of bed as quietly as she could, stepping around his bed and slipped out the door. She had momentarily forgotten about the events that took place the night before but when she walked into the kitchen and saw Sasuke standing by the sink, the memories flooded back and she felt like running. But, unfortunately for her, he saw her and in one quick movement, he grabbed her arm and pulled her to him, wrapping his arms around her shoulders as he pressed his face into the crook of her neck, mumbling something over and over again.

"S-Sasuke... what are you doing?" She choked out as she kept her arms at her sides, completely confused about the sudden shift in his moods.

"Sakura... I'm sorry about how I treated you last night, I was angry with Itachi and jealous that he was spending time with you alone. Please forgive me." He whispered into her neck, his breath tickling her slightly. His words sounded so sincere that she couldn't help but let a slight smile out as she slid her arms around his waist, returning the embrace.

"I forgive you Sasuke... this time. Don't let that happen again." Sakura said quietly as she clutched his shirt in her hands, forgetting that his older brother was in the other room. They remained in that desperate embrace for a few more minutes before Sakura pulled herself away, stomach growling in protest of not having eaten since lunch the previous day.

"I need to eat." She stated matter of factly as she turned away from him and opened the fridge, fishing out a yogurt. Sitting down at the table, she opened the small container and began her feast as Sasuke sat in the one at her side, scooting it close to her. Their knees touched slightly, which made Sakura blush as she finished the delicious strawberry flavored dairy product.

Sasuke remained quiet as he leaned on the table and looked at the far wall in the living room. He truly felt bad for how he had treated Sakura the night before and was trying to figure out ways to make up for it.

"Sakura, how about we go train today." He suggested, wanting to get her alone today so he could try to influence her into not trusting his older brother. He was already furious with the fact that he had survived the battle that was supposed to have killed him, reinforcing his theory that his brother was pure evil.

"I can't. I don't know how much Tsunade has told you but I have been tasked with healing your brother and I need to spend as much time as I can doing so." Sakura explained as she leaned back in her chair. She could see the disappointment and irritation in his eyes but chose not to mention that.

"Then I will stay by your side while you do that." Sasuke stated, crossing his arms over his chest in a very near identical way that his brother did. Sakura just looked at him, trying to figure out if he had an ulterior motive for being present during the treatments. She was about to ask just that when she heard her door open and close. Moments later, Itachi appeared in the kitchen and gave Sasuke a very disappointed glance before walking behind Sakura, resting his hands on the back of the chair.

The Uchiha brothers began yet another glaring contest as they tried to battle for dominance. Sakura was confused as to why they were doing that but when she felt warm fingers brush the right side of her neck, running through her hair for a moment before pulling it back behind her ear, exposing her now sensitive neck. Her eyes darted to Sasuke and she saw that both of his hands were tucked under his arms, she knew then that it wasn't Sasuke's touch on her that she had hoped. It was Itachi.

_'Why is he doing that? Its such an intimate thing to do and he did it out of nowhere!' _She shrieked in her mind as she let her eyes move up towards Sasuke's. At first, she noticed he looked mad and jealous at the same time but then something else was present, almost like guilt and shame. He was staring at her neck now, his brows drew together causing her heart to skip a beat. What was he looking at? While in thought, she reached her hand up to her neck and felt the swollen flesh from where he had bitten her. She winced as her fingers barely grazed the top, telling her it was on the verge of infection. Without thinking, she moulded her green medical chakra into her hand and began to heal it as she looked down at the table. It was then that she realized that Itachi had moved from behind her and was now sitting at her other side, hands folded on the table as he watched her closely.

The three of them fell into a pregnant silence as she dropped her gaze down to the table top, racking her mind for a way out of this very uncomfortable situation. Itachi hadn't spoken one word since he came out of the bedroom but just one look at his face told her that his stern look directed at Sasuke was enough. The tension between the two of them was thick enough to cut with a kunai and Sakura didn't know how much longer she could sit in the middle of it. With an inward sigh, she pushed away from the table and got up, walking out of the kitchen towards her room. Just before she rounded the corner, she looked back over her shoulder and noticed that they weren't even aware of her retreat.

"Try not to kill each other, the blood will be a pain in the ass to get out." Sakura said flatly, knowing that if they truly wanted to do each other in, there was nothing she could do to stop it. Neither of them looked her way, making her feel like she had just been given the proverbial finger.

"Uchihas!" She cursed under her breath as she walked to her room and rummaged through her closet, looking for fresh clothing. The futon Itachi had brought into her room the night before was pushed out of the way while the sheets were folded on top. With a slight shrug, she figured she would attack that issue after she had a nice long hot shower.

**_::_**

30 long minutes passed before Sakura finally emerged from the bathroom. Her pink hair was pulled back into a messy bun with a few strands hanging loosely around her face. She decided to wear her black shorts today with a red tank top, a very casual outfit. Since her Shishou had told her she wouldn't be having any shifts at the hospital and she wouldn't receive any missions, she had no reason to wear any of her normal nin clothing.

As she walked out into the kitchen, she noticed both of the Uchiha's weren't present. There was no blood on the floor or surrounding walls so it didn't appear they had fought while she was showering but she wondered where they were hiding. Sakura ventured into the living room and found it vacant as well, causing her to feel a pang of worry. There was one last place to check so she turned around and walked to her room, pushing the door open. Inside she found Itachi sitting on _her _bed, reading her journal.

_'Oh for Kami's sake what is the fascination with that thing?!' _

She screamed in her head as she all but ran over to the older Uchiha and grabbed the book out of his hands. Her chest was heaving not so much from the quick movements but from the embarrassment she felt. She was going to have to burn this damn thing.

"I wasn't finished with that." Itachi looked up at her, his hand still raised from the position he had it in as he was reading. There was a slight smirk on his lips, sending a rush of heat to her face. Sakura couldn't find any words for a moment as she looked down at the book to see what entry he had been so engrossed with. Of course it would just happen to be the very same heart breaking letter Sasuke had read a few days ago.

_'GREAT!'_

"I... uh... you had no right to read such a personal thing!" She finally managed to say as she closed her journal and tucked it under her arm before crossing them over her chest, her embarrassment now being replaced with a wave of anger.

"Oh but I do, Sasuke told me I would find it... _interesting." _The older Uchiha purred out as he finally let his hands drop to his sides, not offering to get up from her bed. Sakura had to resist every urge she had to drag his sorry ass out of her room and throw him out but she knew that would warrant Tsunade's wrath and she didn't want that. Instead she turned on her heel and walked out of her room, crossing the hallway to Sasukes where she banged on it with enough force to shake the walls.

Sasuke opened the door shortly after, the same kind of smirk on his face that his brother had. Sakura pushed the door open all the way before extending her left arm towards him, grabbing the front of his shirt roughly, dragging him out of the room and into hers. Sakura's jaw set as she looked first at Itachi who had lost his smirk as he watched her with some hesitation before she looked at Sasuke who also had dropped his smirk, replacing it with his usual stoic stone face.

"You two need to learn to respect MY personal space!" She yelled at them, her right hand clutching the journal in a vice grip. Neither of them said anything in return nor did she give then a chance, before either Uchiha knew what happened, Sakura raised her right hand in the air, bringing the journal down towards Sasuke where it smacked into his head with enough force to send him crashing to the floor at her feet.

Itachi watched as the pinkette knocked his younger brother unconscious with that little book before she turned on him, her emerald eyes glistening with a sickening glint of malice. For one of the first times in Itachi's life, he truly felt afraid of a woman. She took a step in his direction, raising the hand with the book in it again as a smile cracked across her face, exposing her teeth in a very strange manner. The older Uchiha threw himself off the other side of the bed to get away from her, wondering how such a quiet, caring girl could turn so brutal within a matter of minutes.

Sakura lunged at him but he managed to avoid her barely as he darted to the side. Sakura let out a near animatistic snarl as she got to her feet, lunging at him again. Itachi made for the door but in his hurry, forgot that Sasuke was sprawled out on the floor, causing him to trip. Before he knew it, Sakura was on him, bringing the journal down as she smacked it across his face painfully. His eyes grew wide before the burn of the hit set in, not realizing that Sakura had already stepped away from him, feeling rather vindicated. She looked down at him as his hand rose to his inflamed left cheek, her arms crossed again with a smug look on her face.

Sakura walked over to her bedside table and dropped the book into the drawer, slamming it closed. Somehow, she knew it wouldn't be bothered anymore. Itachi watched her as he rubbed his reddened cheek, choosing to remain silent. This girl had an unholy wrath when she was pissed, he didn't expect such a thing out of her.

She turned back towards the Uchihas, looking at them with as little emotion as she could before walking over and grabbing the older Uchiha, dragging him to his feet. He didn't fight her which caused her to smirk slightly before she moved over to Sasuke, dragging him to his feet now that he was starting to stir. She noticed that he seemed dizzy from being hit in the head but she would heal him later, right now they needed to have a serious talk about personal space. She grabbed each one by the forearm and pulled them out of her room, down the hallway and into the living room where she pushed them both onto the couch before she took a seat on the coffee table in front of them. They both looked at her, identical expressions of wariness and curiosity, obviously waiting for her to start speaking.

"Now that I have your attention, we need to get some things straight. First, my _personal _journal is to be left alone from now on. If I catch either one of you with it, I promise you a worse punishment then what you just received. Understood?" She looked at them both sternly, almost as if she was talking to children. They both nodded once, letting her know they heard her.

"Second, after that little fiasco in your room last night, Sasuke, I want to make one thing absolutely clear. I. Am. Not. Yours. To. Claim. I do not love you and I never will so get over yourself. I don't want you here in _my _home but thanks to the Hokage, I am stuck with you. You are nothing to me other then an unfortunate teammate. Do NOT cross that line again or there will be hell to pay!" Sakura was staring straight at the younger Uchiha, her emerald hues nearly burning with disgust as she remembered him pinning her to the wall and biting her as if she was something he wanted to eat.

"Hn." Sasuke scoffed as he broke their eye contact in favor of looking at the floor, his arms crossing over his chest. Sakura couldn't tell what the look on his face was but before he looked away, she caught a glimpse of an emotion she hadn't expected. Hurt.

"Now as for you Uchiha-san..." She turned to look at the older man who was sitting still, watching her intently. She was about to speak when he cut her off.

"Call me Itachi, please." He spoke softly, causing Sasuke's head to snap up and turn his direction. The look he gave his brother was deathly, not liking how friendly he was trying to be with his teammate.

"Fine, _Itachi_, I don't know what you were thinking last night but you are not going to be staying in my room _with _me. As for everything else, you are strictly my patient and nothing more. Once your treatment is finished, you are not my responsibility so don't get used to being here. I quite frankly don't care what my Shishou decides to do with you so don't even bother trying to win me over. I have my orders and I will complete my task. Beyond that, I feel nothing towards you in any way." She gave him the same stern, unforgiving look she gave Sasuke as she spoke, ignoring the younger Uchiha's eyes that were staring at her as well.

"Last, and probably most important. This is MY home. While you two are here you are expected to respect my space. Neither of you are allowed in my room for any reason nor are you allowed to touch me. The only touching allowed will be during the treatment sessions. After that, I expect to be left alone. I don't know why I, of all people, got stuck with the last two Uchihas remaining but I will be damned if I cater to you selfish, spoiled brats. I will not cook for you, I will not pick up after you. If you make a mess its your responsibility to clean it up. If you are hungry..." she flicked her eyes to stare at Sasuke, sending him a fierce glare. "make something."

Sakura stood up and walked around the couch, her back to them as she decided now was a good time to leave. She reached the hallway but remembered one last thing she wanted to say so she turned back around and walked towards the couch, leaning over the back so she could whisper to both of them.

"No. Fighting. I don't care if you want to kill each other, but you will not do it in my home." Her tone was barely above a whisper but it dripped with venom as she placed her hands on each of their shoulders, feeling them tense from her touch. They both nodded once, assuring her they heard her so with a prideful smile, she let go of them and walked from the room, disappearing in her bedroom and shutting the door.

Neither of the brothers talked for awhile and Sasuke was about to get up when he heard his brother speak.

"I like her, she has guts. She spoke to us in a way I am sure nobody has ever dared to speak to an Uchiha before." His voice hinted at the amusement he felt as he watched the pink haired girl berate them for their actions. Sure, she had every right to do so, this was her home and they weren't being on their best behavior like a guest should be.

"Hn. Just don't touch her." Sasuke scoffed as he stocked out of the room, vanishing into his own room across from Sakura's leaving Itachi alone in the living room by himself. While Sakura was speaking, he wasn't given a chance to defend himself, nor would he want to in front of Sasuke. He needed to speak to Sakura, alone. Now was a good chance to do so, so he stood up and walked to her room, knocking softly.

"Did you not just understand me? Go away." She snapped at him through the door. With a sigh, he twisted the knob and pushed it open, revealing the pinkette stretched out across her bed, reading the notes she had so pain stakingly written out. She glared at him as she sat up, pushing the scroll to the side.

"I'm not in your room, but you didn't give me a chance to explain." Itachi spoke calmly, trying to defuse them temper of the young woman. She rolled her eyes as she sighed, waving him in. He walked over the threshold and closed the door before he crossed the room and sat next to her, turning to face her.

"Alright, go ahead." She spat out at him as she scooted away from him, clearly not wanting to be so close to the man.

"After I caught Sasuke last night, I brought you in here but you were too upset to be able to defend yourself. I brought my bed in here as nothing more than a form of protection incase he felt the need to come in. Sakura, I do not trust my younger brother, he is very unpredictable and I would feel safer if you would let me watch over you while I am here. I'd hate for him to harm you." Itachi explained as he looked at her, watching her intently. She let his words sink in and clenched her jaw, biting back the retort she wanted to spit out at him. Her whole life there was always someone there to protect her and she didn't want to be protected anymore. She wasn't weak and she would prove it.

**_'If you're not weak then why didn't you fight back when Sasuke pinned you to the wall? You sure as hell have enough strength to get away from him but you hesitated.'_**Inner spoke up again, speaking logically about the situation.

_'I was tired, that's all. I sure as hell don't want one Uchiha to protect me from another! Itachi must think I am weak!' _Sakura replied as she tried to reason with herself. She didn't want to admit that Inner had a point.

**_'Let him protect you, it's not like he will be here forever anyway. While he is here, let him get close to you. Nothing else it will send a strong message to Sasuke that you aren't interested in him.'_ **Inner explained, once again making sense. Two points at once was not a good sign.

_'What happened to the pro-Sasuke pleadings from you? I thought you WANTED Sasuke to want me.' _Sakura snapped at her Inner, feeling a little vindictive again.

**_'Who cares about Sasuke! Have you SEEN his brother? Itachi is by far the better looking of the two and he is so much more mature! Sasuke still acts like a spoiled 13 year old but Itachi is allllllllll man!'_ **Inner purred as she spoke, causing Sakura to roll her eyes, unaware that she allowed this action to happen outwardly. Itachi raised an eyebrow at her.

_'You're a pervert.' _Sakura snapped at her before sighing and looking at Itachi, her shoulders relaxing a bit.

"Alright, fine. If it will make you happy then you can be my 'guard dog'." Sakura said boredly, emphasizing the words guard dog. She didn't want the older Uchiha to think he had won the battle.

"Hn." He turned away from her as he looked at his temporary bed lying to the side. At least he wouldn't have to lug that thing out into the living room. They fell into a silence for awhile as Sakura reached for the scroll and began reading again before she decided to start the healing process of his eyes. For the next three hours, she meticulously wove her chakra through his eyes, restoring the pathways that were easier to fix while she probed more of the severely damaged ones. Compared to her notes, she knew what she had to do now and she was positive that at the end of the week, his vision will be 100% restored.

**_::_**

**_End Chapter 15_**

_Hey everyone, I have been trying to make my chapters longer so I hope you are all enjoying it. I have been thinking of going back and adding more to the shorter ones, what do you think?_


	16. Chapter 16 - The Truth

_Yay chapter 16! Can't believe it's already here! Don't worry my pretties, this story is far from being over! In fact, I'd say it's just begun! I'd like to thank Sasuke hatake for posting such a nice review~ I read yours and it has a very good baseline! :3_

_Enjoy~_

**_Chapter 16 - The Truth_**

**_::_**

It had been two days now since Sakura had had her 'talk' with the two Uchihas who now resided in her home and she still had yet to see Sasuke. She knew he was still there, she heard noises coming from his room and felt his chakra but he seemed to be avoiding her. Part of her wondered if she had bruised his pride and felt bad about it while the other part of her wanted to burst into his room and tell him to suck it up.

Itachi on the other hand had been leaving her be as she had asked. Other then the daily healing which ran in three hour sessions and at night when they went to bed (she allowed him to remain in her room), he all but ignored her. That was what she wanted and she relished the silence. It was rare for three people to share a small apartment and there was hardly a word spoken without deliberately needing something.

_"Itachi-san, time to work on your eyes."_ Sakura would say and he would reply with a simple _"Hn."_ before following her into the quiet of their shared bedroom. They barely spoke during the sessions, he would let her do her work while she referenced her notes and fed her chakra into his eyes, repairing the damage that his bloodline trait caused. A small part of her mind wondered if Sasuke's vision was beginning to blur from his constant use of the trait but she was too afraid to ask. If he had so painstakingly avoided her, how would be react to her questioning his eye sight. That was one argument she did not want to get into unless she had no other choice.

Sakura was sitting on the couch, knees brought up to her chest as she read a book that she had been meaning to read for quite some time but was too busy to read. Not having to tend her shifts at the hospital while being sent on missions was rather enjoyable. Her only responsibility was basically babysitting the two Uchihas. With one sulking in his room and the other respecting her space, it was a rather easy task. By mid morning, she was already half way through the novel when she felt a soft tap on her shoulder. Marking her page, she looked up and saw Itachi standing behind the couch, looking at her.

"Yes, Itachi-san?" She asked softly, feeling rather relaxed and happy. The romance novel had lifted her spirits that love did exist, even if it was only in a book. Too bad life wasn't like that or she would have had a prince charming sweep her off her feet long ago.

"I'd like to ask you something." He said slowly, noticing the carefree expression on her face that the book obviously caused.

"Sure, come sit down." Sakura replied as she closed the book and sat it on the coffee table, adjusting her position so that she was now sitting indian-style on one cushion while Itachi made his way over to the other side of the couch and sat down facing her. He didn't speak right away which concerned Sakura but she decided she wouldn't say anything. Whatever he wanted to ask must have been important.

"Do you really love my foolish little brother?" He finally asked, taking Sakura by surprise. That was the last thing she would have expected him to ask about until she remembered that he had read the letter in her journal and a wave of guilt washed over her. The one place she had expressed such feelings had been invaded not once now but twice by two different men. With a sigh, Sakura responded carefully.

"I... did. At one point that is. When we were much younger and I was dumb, I let a simple infatuation escalade into something larger regardless of how he treated me. He always called me annoying and rejected me but I refused to give up so in the end, my own stupidity let me get hurt more then I should have been. I have no feelings towards Sasuke now outside of kinship that teammates feel for each other." Sakura explained slowly, measuring her words. She had no idea why she was telling this to Itachi of all people but it felt kind of good to talk about it. She wondered if he would have some sort of insight to help her forget the past. After all, he was the master of doing awful things and having to deal with the repercussions. Itachi sat quietly, as if he was mulling her words over.

"I am afraid that his inability to feel anything other then hate is my fault. You remember what I told you, right? Well, if I hadn't followed those orders and instead tried to make my father realize the mistake he was making, things could have ended up differently." Itachi scooted closer to Sakura and took her hands into his. She locked her eyes with his and read a flash of emotion in his eyes. He really did feel guilty about the way Sasuke turned out in his life. The corners of Sakura's mouth pulled down into a frown as she tried to think of a way to ease his pain over it.

"Itachi-san... you were only 13. Please don't beat yourself up over it. Look at it this way, at the age of 13, all three of us in this apartment made very horrible mistakes. You for following such a cruel order, me for letting myself get carried away with trying to force Sasuke to love me and Sasuke himself for allowing Orochimaru to manipulate him thus abandoning Konoha. Sure, the mistakes are vastly different from each other but we all still made them and we all hurt equally from them. What you need to do is talk to Sasuke about it, he will be mad and confused and he will probably accuse you of lying, but it's time he heard the truth. From you. If you'd like, I will be present to play the median role incase Sasuke tries anything dumb." Sakura spoke quietly as she squeezed Itachi's hands to reassure him. After she learned about the order he had been given, she knew deep down he was telling the truth. Having worked very closely with the Hokage, she learned things about the elders and Danzo that made her skin crawl so believing they would order something like this was not out of character for them.

"I can't just tell him, Sakura-san. Look at how he is sulking just from you popping his ego. He won't believe he in the least and it could cause an unwanted fight." Itachi closed his eyes as he spoke, dropping his chin to his chest as he tried to hide whatever emotion had come over him. Sakura just watched him for awhile, her hands still clasped in his.

"Let me talk to him then, who knows, maybe he will be less likely to react badly if it comes from me." Sakura offered, knowing Itachi would reject the idea immediately. He looked up at her, his onyx colored eyes searching her own emerald for some time before he spoke.

"That isn't a bad idea. I'll wait out here. Be wary of him, if you need help just call for me." Itachi said slowly as he released her hands, allowing her to get up. He seemed almost eager for her to go and try to tell Sasuke the truth, like he had been waiting for her to offer. She nodded at him before walking down the hall, running over what she was going to say in her head. With a sigh, she knocked on the door softly.

**_::_**

"Go away." His voice came through the door in the tone she recognized from their childhood. Yes, he was defiantly sulking.

"Sasuke, may I come in? We need to talk." Sakura said slowly, closing her eyes as she tried to force down the anger that instantly welled up inside her.

"I have nothing to say to you." He replied, sounding closer to the door. She wasn't sure if he was just toying with her but she refused to play along with it.

"Good, then it will be easier for me to talk. You can just listen." She insisted as she opened her eyes again, hearing the door knob twist, revealing Sasuke. He glared out at her for a moment before opening the door wider, stepping out of her reach as he let her in. He remembered how she had grabbed him the last time she knocked on his door and he wasn't going to take any chances.

Bracing herself, she stepped into the room and closed the door behind her as she looked around what was now his room. It was dark in there, he had the curtains closed and no lights were turned on. She could see him but just barely.

"Well, speak." Sasuke ordered as he walked back over to his bed, sitting down by the pillows. Sakura wrung her hands as she bit her lower lip, trying to think of a place to begin. She paced slowly in front of his door before she dropped her hands and looked towards him.

"Sasuke, first I want to apologize for hitting you so hard then yelling at you. It wasn't fair for me to do that and I am sorry." She began as she walked closer to him, sitting at the foot of the bed as she watched him carefully. Every muscle in her body tensed as he moved closer to her after she had spoken, his eyes narrowing dangerously.

"Hn. Fine, now get out." He growled at her, not wanting the annoying pink haired girl to be in his room anymore then necessary at this point. She wouldn't have much else to say to him anyway, or at least that's what he thought.

"That's not all I had to talk to you about, Sasuke." Sakura said hesitantly, standing up and walking away from him, not liking how creepy he was being right now.

"Then what?" Sasuke asked cautiously as he watched her begin to pace around the room again. He wasn't sure what she was going to say but a part of him told him he wouldn't be very happy with it.

"Well... it's about... Itachi-san." Sakura spoke carefully as she finally stopped her pacing again and looked at him. She could see his wariness regarding anything to do with the man who single handedly slaughtered the Uchiha clan. Sakura waited for him to respond but after a little while it became clear he had no intentions of speaking so she took a deep breath and forced herself to speak carefully and calmly.

"Ok, well, back when Itachi-san slaughtered your clan, it was believed that he did it because he wanted to test his abilities. He told you this himself and that same night, he told you that you needed to become stronger then him and find him one day to seek revenge on what he had done. There is just one problem with that theory, Sasuke..." Sakura hadn't been looking at him while she spoke until she took a slight pause and dared to glance at him. He was glaring at her fiercely, clearly restraining himself from attacking her and even Itachi but instead he sat still, remaining silent.

"Sasuke, that was a lie. The whole thing was a lie... Itachi didn't kill your clan to test himself, he did it because he had to... as an ANBU Black Ops agent, he was given an order from Danzo and the village elders to massacre your clan." As Sakura got towards the end of the truth, her voice became an octive higher as she spoke faster, taking a step closer to the younger Uchiha. He continued to stare at her, all emotion had vanished from his face as his onyx gaze pierced her very soul. She wondered if she had made the right choice by telling him this, Itachi was right, Sasuke was highly unpredictable and right now she had a feeling that he wanted to end her life out of spite.

"Sasuke... please, don't be mad... when Itachi told me initially, I didn't believe it right away either but it made so much sense after I thought about it. I have worked close with those people for awhile now and they are capable of doing something like this... we haven't told Lady Tsunade yet, you had to know first! Just please-" Sakura was cut off as Sakura launched himself off the bed, sharingan activated as he grabbed Sakura. He swung her around and threw her back onto the bed, climbing on top of her to pin her down, his now red orbs peering into her terrified emerald.

"Quit speaking of that man like you've known him for years. He is nothing more then an evil, manipulative monster and he must have put some kind of jutsu on you to force you to come in here and feed me these lies!" Sasuke hissed at her as she felt his eyes seering her soul.

"You're wrong!" Sakura shrieked as she tried to wiggle herself out from under Sasuke's grasp. He pinned both of her wrists above her head firmly while he straddled her hips, sitting on her rather roughly. He leaned down, their chests almost touching as he stared down at her, the tomoes in his sharingan spinning madly. Sakura tried to knee him in his back but it was useless, he ignored her attempts of trying to get free.

"You know nothing! You're just as annoying as ever!" He growled at her, their noses only a half inch from touching. Sakura felt herself begin to panic, knowing if she called for Itachi, he would come rescue her.

_'NO! No more being rescued! I can handle this my myself, it's just Sasuke!' _She screamed at herself, hating how quickly she had thought about asking for help after training for so many years to overcome being weak. If she asked for help, she would just be proving that she was no different then her younger self.

_**'Don't be stupid, Sakura. The fact that it is Sasuke pinning us right now is the exact reason we need Itachi's help.'** _Inner chided in, crossing her metaphorical arms out of irritation.

_'absolutely not, I can handle it. Now shut up!' _She spat at Inner before pushing her thoughts away in order to concentrate on getting away from the younger Uchiha. He was still glaring at her as she silently contemplated her next move.

"Sasuke... think about what you're doing. If Itachi-san was really at fault, do you think Shishou would have let him into Konoha, let alone allowing him to live so freely in our apartment?" Sakura asked slowly, withholding the information that Tsunade didn't actually know of Itachi's innocence but Sasuke didn't know that. The real reason she had allowed it was her complete faith and trust the Hokage had for her best apprentice.

"Hn." Sasuke replied to her, disarming his Kekkei Genkai before loosening his grip on her now throbbing wrists. He didn't let her go but she could feel herself making headway.

"Just listen to what I have to say, if you are still unsure, go talk to Itachi-san. I know he is anxious for you to know the truth. Sasuke... he loves you so much, never stopped. When he spared your life, he did it because you were the one person he absolutely could not kill, you meant so much to him as kids and you still do. Everything he has done has been for you!" Sakura explained softly as she watched Sasuke divert his eyes away from hers, looking at the wall. She could almost feel his heartbeat speed up as she spoke, a sign her words were being heard.

She fell silent as she let Sasuke think about what she had said, waiting for him to release her or yell... something. After what felt like hours but was in reality only five minutes, he let go of her wrists and slid off of her, walking away from her with his back turned. Sakura sat up as she began to massage her aching wrists, watching teammate for any signs that he may turn on her but then something she didn't expect caught her eye. His shoulders were slouched and his head was lowered.

Sakura stood up from his bed and walked slowly over to him, a lump forming in her throat. She had never seen him look so defeated before and it unnerved her greatly, here stood a powerful Uchiha, one of the two remaining in the entire world and he looked as weak as she felt those many years ago.

_'The irony of it all...' _She thought to herself as she stood beside him, carefully placing her hand on his shoulder as soft as she could before she spoke, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Sasuke..." All she could manage was his name, how dumb would she sound if she actually asked _'Are you ok?' _of course he's not ok, just look at him! She had just told him that everything he had been led to believe about his families murders was false. The one person he blamed them on hadn't done it for no reason like he had thought. Their very own village had ordered the slaughter.

Sasuke didn't say anything right away as he looked at the floor, a mixture of hurt, malice and uncertainty appearing on his face. When he finally spoke, his words shocked Sakura, it was the last thing she had expected from him after all she had said to him.

"Sakura, why don't you say _'kun' _with my name anymore? You use _'san' _with Itachi's a lot, how come you are more easy going with him then me?" His questions were spoken with an uncharactoristic softness that nearly made Sakura run from the room. The only thing worse then a frighteningly violent, cruel Sasuke was a kind Sasuke. She didn't think he even knew the definition of kindness.

"Oh... I, uh... well I didn't even realize I was doing that or lack there of honestly." She managed to say, knowing full well the answers to his questions but not wanting to voice them. How could she rip his whole life apart with a simple truth then add salt to the wound by telling him she didn't care about him anymore?

_'Oh Kami, what have I gotten myself into?' _

"It's because I hurt you, isn't it? Itachi hasn't hurt you... yet. I remember that letter I read in your journal. I can't forget the words you wrote about me." He said as he finally lifted his eyes to hers, turning his body slightly to face her more.

"This isn't about us, Sasuke! I am trying to repair the damage between you and your brother! Once things get sorted out and those who are really at fault are dealt with, you two will get to start anew and I want to see you two act like real brothers!" Sakura spat out, trying to put a stop to the subject Sasuke was trying to bring up. He was the last person she wanted to discuss her personal feelings with and she'll be damned if she allows him to mock her.

"Say _'kun'_." The previous emotions slid from his face as he shrugged her hand off his shoulder. She had forgotten that she was still touching him and raised an eyebrow at his sudden coldness towards her.

"No." Sakura stated as she crossed her arms. She was not going to play this game with him. absolutely not.

"Say it." Sasuke continued, turning fully towards her now, copying her stance. He glared down at her, making her spine shiver from memories of the way he had always treated her.

_'Kami I was stupid for loving him!' _

"I. Said. No." Sakura spat out at him before turning towards the door and opening it. She was about to walk out before she looked over her shoulder and smirked at him. "I may say it again if you work things out with Itachi-_san._" She emphasized the suffix with Itachi's name knowing it would rile Sasuke, which she hoped it would do. Without waiting for a response, she walked out of the door and closed it before walking out into the living room where Itachi was looking at her with a raised eyebrow. He appeared to be amused. She shot him a scowl before letting herself drop into her usual place on the couch.

"Shut up, Uchiha-san." She spat out, not giving him a chance to question her. The last thing she wanted to do was have to explain that fiasco to the very man she was trying to help.

_'By the time these Uchiha's are out of my apartment, I will have grey hair that could rival Kakashi-sensei's! I swear they are hell bent on putting me in an early grave!' _Sakura screamed in her head as she brought her hand to her forehead, rubbing it as she felt a headache coming on. She could hear Inner snickering but didn't pay attention to it. She wasn't even safe in her own head from stupidity.

**_::_**

**_End Chapter 16_**

_Another chapter completed! Please R&R_


	17. Chapter 17 - Believing It

_Yo~ Chapter 17 is here already!_

**_Chapter 17 - Believing It_**

**_::_**

Sakura had no idea what time she had fallen asleep after her disastrous conversation with Sasuke but when she awoke early in the morning the following day, she found herself in her own bed, wearing her clothes from the previous day.

She let out a groan as her eyes focused more before she dared to look at the clock on the bedside table.

_6:47_

"Too. Early." She said to herself as she let her head sink back down on the pillow. Now that she was relieved of her nin duties for the next few days, she had no reason to be up so sleeping in was a luxury she rarely got to enjoy and damnit, she was going to enjoy it this morning.

Her eyes closed as she pulled the blanket up over her shoulder, it had slid off at some point and her warmth was escaping her cocoon. As usual, she was laying on her side, facing the door since the sun began to rise and fill her room with light. If she faced away from it and pulled her blanket over her head, hopefully she could fool her brain into thinking it was still night.

She felt her body relaxing as sleep began to come but a heavy sigh caused her eyes to flutter open as she looked down at the bed next to her own. Itachi was in a deep sleep, stretched out as he laid on his back. A soft smile formed on her lips as she watched him sleep. How could a man so threatening look so cute while he was asleep?

**_'Cute?'_**Inner asked casually, catching Sakura's thoughts about the older Uchiha.

_'Shut it.' _Sakura replied as she closed her eyes and brought the blanket over her head, shielding her eyes from the attractive man on her floor.

**_'Do you want to know what's "really" cute?'_**Inner asked with a sickeningly sweet tone of voice, causing Sakura to sigh outwardly.

_'What.' _She spat out, clearly not asking. Whatever her Inner self wanted to say couldn't be important enough to keep her from sleeping in.

**_'Don't be so testy. Anyway, does your side feel heavy? What I mean is, do you feel any weight on it?' _**Inner asked with a slight snicker, obviously finding something rather humerus although Sakura hadn't the slightest idea what it was.

_'What are you going on about I don't feel-' _Sakura's thought was cut off when she did in fact feel something heavy laying across her side. It felt familiar, it was warm and rather soothing but what was it?

Slowly, Sakura lifted the blanket enough to look at her side, steeling herself for the possibility of something weird lurking in her bed. What she found however was worse. Much, much worse.

Her eyes widened as her face paled at the sight. She sat up and flung the blanket completely off of her, exposing the sleeping form of none other then Uchiha Sasuke.

"Sasuke?!" She screamed as she jumped out of bed, narrowly avoiding stepping on the other sleeping Uchiha. At the sound of her high pitched wail, both Itachi and Sasuke sat bolt upright, grabbing for their hidden weapons, ready to defend against an attack. What they found instead was Sakura, standing in the corner of the room, face drained of any color as she clutched her hands to her heaving chest.

They both stared at her for a moment before looking at each other, sharing a confused look. Sakura watched them as she tried to calm her heart, not wanting to add the the laundry list of reasons she may end up dying prematurely. When she had finally gotten herself under control somewhat, she decided it was high time Sasuke explained his reasons for being in her bed.

"Why the hell are you in my bed? Or more importantly, why the hell are you in my room?" Sakura yelled at Sasuke from her corner, not yet ready to get any closer to the two. They were both looking at each other in an odd way, almost like neither of them could see why she had been acting so strange.

"Hn. You weren't complaining last night." Sasuke scoffed as he sat back against the headboard, clearly in no hurry to leave, let alone get out of _her _bed. Itachi was now sitting indian style on his own bed, watching them both with an amused smirk.

"What?!" Sakura shrieked. What the hell happened last night? The last thing she remembered was being pissed at Sasuke for being difficult then she fell asleep on the couch. Were they trying to pull a fast one over her?

"Calm down, Sakura-san, Sasuke is merely joking. There is an easy explination for him being in here." Itachi finally spoke up after seeing the pure horror cross Sakura's face.

"Then please do explain before I kick _both _of you out of my apartment. For good." Sakura growled as she lowered her hands from her chest. She had finally gained control over herself and was just angered that they apparently were sharing an inside joke that she wasn't privy to. She crossed her arms and fixed a stern glare towards the older Uchiha, waiting for his reasonings.

**_::_**

**_~Flashback~_**

_Itachi sat quietly for a little while as he read through one of Sakura's medical scrolls. It had been about a half hour since she had returned from speaking with his brother, but from the look on her face it didn't go very well. She had fallen asleep about 20 minutes ago, curling into an impossible ball on her side of the couch. He had thought she looked rather cute that way, reminding him of a cat._

_The medical scroll wasn't that interesting, he was never good with medic ninjutsu but it was pretty much all she had for him to read. Her bookshelf was crammed full of different scrolls which he found amusing, this young kunoichi brought her work hope with her even if she didn't realize it. _

_He looked up from the scroll and stole a peek at the pink haired woman, wondering what made her go to such lengths for him and his brother. From what he had gathered over the past few days, Sasuke had pretty much treated like a bug who was unworthy of his attention and yet she treated pretty fairly. Granted, the Godaime Hokage was one who he wouldn't want to cross, he was sure she couldn't say no to such an order as becoming roommates, but he wondered why she would order such a thing in the first place. He himself hasn't done anything in ways of helping Sakura in any way and he was sure that she was overstretched herself to fix his sharingan ruined eyes even though she owed him no favors. This girl was really peculiar in ways of kindness that wasn't warranted, he wondered how she would have reacted if she had joined the Akatsuki herself. The men in the organization were ruthless killers, they would have eaten her alive. She would have taken over a mother type role, feeding them, cleaning after them and healing them but neither of the guys involved would have spared her a passing glance. Let alone any true 'Thank you's. _

_The sound of a door opening snapped Itachi out of his thoughts, turning his head to look down the hall at his brother who was walking slowly out into the living room. Both of them remained silent as Sasuke approached the couch and looked over the back at the sound sleep Sakura. He sneered at her before turning away and walking towards the kitchen in search of a snack. Itachi had done his best to tolerate his brothers insufferable arrogant attitude but his patience were quickly dwindling, especially when he had unneededly sneered at their hostess. _

_"Foolish little brother, have you forgotten your manners?" Itachi spoke softly, not wanting to disturb Sakura from her much needed rest. Sasuke turned around to look at him, a slight smirk pulling at his lips._

_"You slaughter the entire clan and all you care about is my manners? Pathetic." Sasuke spat out at him as he walked out of the kitchen and leaned against a reclining chair._

_"I can see Sakura-san's explanation has gone unheard by you." Itachi spoke evenly as he turned his body towards the other Uchiha._

_"That was all just a lie. You are a coward, sending that... girl, into my room to try and feed me such crap." Sasuke crossed his arms as he set his jaw, irritation reflecting in his eyes._

_"She volunteered to go talk to you. I have been debating whether I should explain my orders to you or not but by the way you are acting, letting you in on the secret was a mistake." Itachi said slowly, closing his eyes half way. A little part of him hoped that Sasuke would have understood that and been reasonable but from what he had witnessed, leaving Sasuke with the need to seek revenge had also been a mistake. He had gone about his task wrong, he should have stuck with his friends and learned to trust those around him. _

_"Hn. So you are maintaining that crap is true? Prove it." Sasuke scoffed as he looked at Sakura again, noticing she was indeed sound asleep. She wasn't aware that they were talking. He was about to walk away when he saw Itachi get up from his seat and walk over to his travel bag and pick it up. Did he actually have proof? Sasuke watched his brother return to the couch, sitting right next to Sakura this time causing Sasuke to grit his teeth as he dug through his bag in search of something._

_"Here." Itachi had produced a simple small scroll from his bag and was handing it over to Sasuke. He was unsure at first, gauging his brother before he snatched it out of his brothers hand, shooting him an untrusting glare before opening the scroll and reading its contents. _

**_'Uchiha Itachi_**

**_Negations were a failure. We must now reply on you as the last resort. You pick the day, when and how. Leave nobody alive. Once your task is complete, you are to leave the village and never return._**

**_-Danzo, head of ANBU ROOT Black Ops.'_**

_Sasuke read this simple note over and over, confusion setting in as he finally looked up from the scroll, directly into his brothers eyes._

_"This must be a forgery." Sasuke said blankly but knew deep down that there was no way he could forge such an order. There were three other signatures at the bottom that he recognized as the elders along with the 3rd Hokage himself, complete with the Hokage's waxy seel. _

_"That is false, Sasuke." Itachi said simply as he took the scroll from his brothers hands and rolled it back up, tucking it away. When he had first taken Sakura, he had showed her this same exact scroll so that she would believe him. Having worked so close with the 5th and the elders, Sakura recognized the signatures, causing her face to pale. After reading it, she knew he was speaking the truth and all of her pre-conceived notions vanished._

_"Hn." Sasuke replied with his favorite syllable response as he stepped around the recliner and sank into it, letting the full weight of the new revelations sink in. When he was young, he had idolized his older brother and wanted to be just like him. He was devastated when Itachi had killed every member of the clan except for him and swore to seek revenge in the form of taking his brothers life. Now that he knew that it wasn't Itachi's fault, at least not fully, he had a newfound hatred towards their home village._

_"Sasuke, there is more. The reason that I was given that order was that the Uchiha were planning a coup, ultimately ending in then overthrowing the Konoha government and taking over. Anyone who resisted would have been wiped out. I had the choice between abandoning my village and the shinobi laws or serving my village that I loved and still do and doing away with a potentially lethal threat. Father was the head of the Uchiha clan and it was directly his responsibility to avoid the uprising. It fell down to negotions between him and Hokage Saratobi but when the negotiations failed, my mission was the last resort. I chose to protect my village from an enemy threat." Itachi explained as Sasuke remained silent in the chair, staring at the coffee table. Everything he had ever remembered from his childhood was flowing through his mind. His mother most importantly, she had been such a kind woman and she hadn't deserved to die._

_"This is all Konoha's fault." Sasuke finally stated as he rose his eyes to look at his brother. Sasuke wanted his revenge even if it turns out to not be on his brother._

_"Sasuke, don't start plotting revenge just yet. Nobody else in Konoha knows what happened, not even the Godaime Hokage. I plan on telling her once my week with Sakura is up." Itachi said calmly, knowing what was running through his brother's head._

_"Sakura said she already knows." Sasuke scoffed as he looked over at Sakura who apparently was lying to him. He remembered the girl from the past who never would have lied to him about anything. She worshiped the ground he walked on. Recently he found himself wondering what exactly happened to the old Sakura._

_"No, I'm afraid not, she must have said otherwise to get you to listen." Itachi said as he gave a knowing look towards the still sleeping girl. He knew it was getting late and she should go to bed now so after a moment, he stood up and stretched before leaning down over her and scooping her up into his arms, bridal style._

_"Where are you going with her?" Sasuke asked as he stood up instantly, not liking how he so freely handled his teammate. If anyone was going to be taking Sakura anywhere, it would be him and no one else._

_"It's late, I am taking her to her room. If you are worried about my intentions, come along." Itachi said with a slight smirk on his lips. Even after all these years, he was still able to read his brother like a book. After all, he himself was an Uchiha and knew how Uchiha's thought._

_"Hn. Whatever. Give her to me." Sasuke ordered his brother, stretching his arms out expectantly. Itachi stared at him for a moment before smirking wider and letting Sakura slide from his arms into Sasuke's. When he was certain she was secure, he stepped back and let Sasuke walk out of the living room while Itachi locked the door and windows before turning off the lights. _

_Sasuke pushed Sakura's door open with some difficulty. He wasn't used to opening doors with his arms full of girl. Once he was inside, he was able to make out the mass of her bed with enough light coming through the window. He made his way over and laid her down softly on the sheets. He felt her roll onto her side, sighing quietly. Itachi came in after him and began to make his bed, glancing up at Sasuke who had taken a seat next to the sleeping Sakura. _

_"You might want to cover her with a blanket." Itachi stated as he laid down in his own bed, noticing Sasuke's head turn to look in his general direction. It was dark enough that they couldn't see each others faces._

_"Fine." Sasuke scoffed as he stood up and walked around her bed, picking her blanket up off the floor. He had no idea how she managed to fling it that far off of her unless she had gotten up in a hurry but he didn't care. He walked back up to where she was laying dangerously close to the edge and spread it out over her before he leaned down and pushed her from the edge. What happened next was the last thing he expected._

_As Sasuke made sure she wouldn't roll off the bed, Sakura had been in the middle of a dream where she had gotten the biggest teddy bear she had ever seen in her life. It was taller then her and she instantly flung herself onto it and hugged it with all her might._

_Sasuke was on the receiving end of this dream as Sakura reached out and wrapped her arms around him firmly, pulling him into bed with her, his chest pressed right against hers. He could feel her breasts through their shirts and the distant beating of her heart. His face reddened when he realized what had happened, instantly regretting taking Sakura from Itachi. It it had been Itachi then he would be the one stuck in Sakura's bed._

**_'That would have been a bad thing.' _**_He thought to himself, realizing that he actually didn't want Itachi that close to Sakura. With a sigh, he tried to pry himself out of Sakura's grasp but soon gave up. It was impossible to get free. The room fell silent for a few moments before he heard a light chuckle coming from Itachi._

_"You knew this would happen." He spat out at Itachi, barely above a whisper. He really didn't want to wake Sakura, she had a nasty temper when she was woken before she was ready to get up._

_"I assure you, I did not." Itachi said as he rolled onto his side facing away from Sakura's bed. As amusing as it was that Sakura had trapped his little brother into her bed unintentionally, he felt slightly put out that it wasn't him. If Sasuke hadn't insisted he carry the girl, he knew he would be laying next to the very odd girl._

_"Tck." Sasuke hissed out before going silent. If he was stuck here, he might as well get some sleep, so he closed his eyes and tried to make himself more comfortable which, much to his irritation, he couldn't succeed without placing his arm around her waist. He didn't like being this intimately close with Sakura but he had been in worse positions before. The memory of Karin worming her way into his bed one night still caused him to shudder._

_"Good night, Sasuke." Itachi said quietly, another smirk appearing before he too closed his eyes and let his exhaustion take over, soon falling asleep._

_Sasuke was the last one awake, it didn't take long for him to hear his brothers breathing even out as he fell asleep. He began to wonder why Sakura would allow him to sleep in her room, she defiantly had a close... something, with him and he didn't like it. He would have to try and sway Sakura in his direction and away from Itachi. Regardless of the newfound information and innocence, he still didn't want his brother cozying up to his teammate. _

_With that, Sasuke fell asleep with Sakura's face resting close to his neck, breathing out small puffs of air. His last thought before drifting off was that he had no idea how comfortable he could have been sharing a bed with her and he didn't regret being pulled into her arms._

_**~End Flashback~**_

**_::_**

When Itachi was done explaining, he watched her face soften as she remembered the dream. He had left out a lot of details, choosing to stick with the facts that they had talked, went to bed and Sakura had all but attacked Sasuke before he had a chance to move away from her. As she realized that she had actually initiated the acts with Sasuke, she felt her face grow hot from a blush that was now spreading.

Sasuke was the first to break the silence. He was still tired and wanted to go back to sleep, if Sakura kept standing in the corner acting embarrassed, that would never happen.

"Sakura, come back to bed. I'm tired." Sasuke all but demanded as he shot her a look that said she was being ridiculous. Sakura's mouth fell open slightly as he spoke, feeling another rush of embarrassment flow through her. When she didn't make any movements, Sasuke glared at her and spoke again.

"You didn't complain when we were on that mission." He shot at her, knowing the mere mention would cause her to become angry with him but he wanted her to stop acting childish. They were all adults after all.

"Fine, just don't touch me." Sakura finally spat out as she crossed the room and slid back into her bed, next to Sasuke. She had forgotten about that damn mission and the two nights they spent sharing the same bed.

"Hn. Whatever." Sasuke said as he rolled onto his side, back facing her. Sakura set her jaw as she glared at his back before looking at Itachi apologetically. He smirked at her before laying down and closing his eyes, Sakura soon following his lead and managing to go back to sleep.

**_::_**

**_End Chapter 17_**

_I hope you all enjoyed it! I have been working on this one all day and I trashed many parts of it and started over. R&R_


	18. Chapter 18 - Prepare

_So yes I have realized that my updating is severely inconsistent. I go from posting a few chapters one right after the other to not updating for at least a week. I'm sorry for the lack of schedule with this story, so after this chapter is posted I will set a firm day of the week to post. I haven't decided when yet but I am leaning towards Wednesdays. Anyways, enjoy~_

_**Chapter 18 - Prepare**_

_**::**_

It was quite a few hours later when Sakura finally found herself waking up, feeling slightly groggy from the late hour. One of the first things she noticed was that the curtains in her room had been drawn closed, casting out any of the offending light from the sun. Her eyes weren't open but she didn't need to see the window to know the curtains were closed, since she hardly ever closed them. She loved to look out at the moon before she fell asleep and she was high enough in the apartment building that she wasn't at risk for anyone peeping into her room.

As she felt herself wake up more, she pulled the blanket up more around her shoulders, wishing to seal in the warmth that had formed during her sleep. The memories of last night and early that morning began to flow into her mind, causing her to inwardly groan.

_'Did I really willingly crawl back into bed _**_with _**_Sasuke?!' _She didn't want to know the answer to that question, instead choosing to pull the blanket up over her face and curl up close to the incredibly warm wall that she was facing.

_'This wall is unusually warm, is it that hot outside?' _She asked herself, trying to think back to any time when her walls had been that affected by the outside elements at any given time.

_**'Sakura don't be dumb, of course you're walls aren't warm because of the sun. Think about it, your bed is in the MIDDLE of your room, the only wall it touches is where it sits flush against the headboard. What you are leaning into is NOT a wall but probably Sasuke.'**_Inner offered smugly, laughing at how Sakura began to squirm away from the warm 'wall'.

_'Shut up! It can't be Sasuke! I don't want to touch him in any way let alone cuddle up to him! Oh Kami this is bad...' _Sakura whined in her mind as she slowly lowered the blanket from her face and opened one of her eyes. The first thing she saw was a confirmation that she was in fact cuddling up to the Uchiha. The realization that she was looking at his back caused her to flinch as her eye began to twitch. Inner erupted into a fit of giggles that Sakura easily pushed aside, not wanting to deal with her mental tormenter.

_'At least he's asleep; I will be able to slip away without being noticed.' _Sakura said internally as she carefully backed away from the Sasuke, lifting the blanket off of her and lowering her legs to the floor. She didn't expect however, for her feet to connect with the floor so quickly while her knees bent at a severe angle. She furrowed her brows and looked over the side of the bed with confusion, instantly noticing that she was much lower to the ground then she should have been.

_'That's funny... I thought my bed was higher than this.' _She mused to herself as she looked back at the Uchiha who appeared to still be asleep. Her eyes scanned over his back which was turned to her, his arm resting along his side in a relaxed form. She allowed her eyes to drift back up his back finally landing on his head that rested so softly on the pillow. A slight smile crept across her face as she watched him for a moment before she realized something was different about him. His hair seemed to be a little flatter than usual instead of its normal spikiness. That was odd, maybe he slept hard enough on it to flatten it out but she didn't remember something like that happening before.

_**'Or it could be from being pulled back in a ponytail!' **_Inner said as she finally quieted down from her laughter. Sakura rolled her eyes and turned back to sliding out of bed.

_'Don't be stupid, he doesn't wear a ponytail! Only Itachi does!' _Sakura spat out at Inner, standing up as she finally freed herself from the bed.

_**'Look again, Honey.' **_Inner chided before breaking out into another fit of giggles. Sakura rolled her eyes inwardly and turned towards the sleeping Sasuke, determined to prove to Inner that Sasuke didn't have a ponytail.

_'Look! Sasuke doesn't have a-' _Sakura interrupted herself when her eyes fell to the back of Sasuke's head. There was in fact a low ponytail at the base of his skull. She rubbed her eyes and looked again before realization sank in. She tore her eyes away from the one on the floor as she looked towards her bed which the real Sasuke was sleeping soundly on, back to her and hair proudly spiked out in the famous chicken ass look.

_'WHAT THE HELL WAS I DOING IN ITACHI'S BED?!' Sakura yelled in her mind as she looked back down at the one she had imaged to be her teammate. Her face paled as she watched him breathing easily, seemingly unaware that Sakura had been present next to him. _

_**'That's what I'd like to know!'**_Inner shrieked out through giggles, clearly enjoying Sakura's turmoil far too much. How did this happen? More importantly, why?!

She fleetingly wondered if Sasuke had moved her but she pushed that idea away instantly. Sasuke hated Itachi enough that he wouldn't willingly put her that close to the older Uchiha. Or at least that's what she thought.

Sakura backed out of the room as silently as she could as not to wake up the two sleeping Uchiha's. She did not want to draw attention to herself right now and with any luck, hopefully they never noticed her shift in beds. When she was finally out of the bedroom, she walked into the kitchen and settled for preparing lunch. It was far too late in the day for breakfast so lunch sounded like the best option for them. She wasn't a fantastic cook but she managed and most of the time her food tasted pretty good, at least to her.

She made rice balls, simple and light since she didn't know when either of them would wake and she didn't want to have to go through a whole process to heat it all back up. When she was satisfied with herself, she placed a couple on a plate and walked into the living room towards her bookshelf. Now would be an excellent time to get started on her reading again so she picked up her current book in process and stepped out onto the balcony. Her apartment building was nice, each apartment had a balcony and when it was warm outside she liked to sit out there and relax. That is what she did now; she settled herself down into one of the chairs and placed her plate on the side table, opening her book.

Sakura ate and read in relative silence, almost immediately forgetting about the two Uchiha's in her home. She let herself get lost in the story in her hands. It was about teenagers that were taken from their homes to compete in a battle to the death where only one could survive. The story was really depressing and yet meaningful, causing her mind to whirl into thoughts of what that would be like if it happened to the people in her country. The thought caused her to shudder subconsciously as she continued to read. She didn't notice that she was being watched.

**_::_**

Sasuke woke up, his body aching from oversleeping. He had no idea what time it was but when he looked around the room he noticed that his older brother and Sakura were both gone. He felt a pang of jealousy and protectiveness rush through him as he slid off the bed and sauntered out into the living room where he found Itachi and Sakura talking quietly. Shoving his hands in his pockets indignantly as he walked towards them, he couldn't help but catch the way Sakura easily laughed at something Itachi had said to her. That wasn't right, she wasn't supposed to be comfortable around Itachi no matter what the real reason was for him slaughtering the Uchiha clan. The more he thought about it, the more it began to make sense. The memories of his caring, protective older brother from his childhood began to resurface and his need for revenge subsided. At least with Itachi, he wanted to seek revenge on the ones who ordered him to do such a horrid thing. Danzo and the Elders.

"Oh, Sasuke! You're awake." Sakura said in a little too happy of a tone when she finally noticed the younger Uchiha enter the room. She had no idea how long he had been standing there but it couldn't have been that long since his eyes still looked glazed over.

"Hn. What are you so happy about?" Sasuke scoffed, looking at his pink haired teammate. He avoided the questioning glance from his brother. Regardless of them both clearing the air between them, he still didn't want to let his guard down. After all he was still an Akatsuki member.

"No reason, I have just had a good day, that's all." Sakura quipped as she looked away from Sasuke and back towards Itachi.

"Hn. Whatever." Sasuke sneered before walking into the kitchen and eyeing the rice balls on the counter.

**_::_**

"What's wrong with him?" Sakura asked to herself more than anyone else, eliciting a raised eyebrow from the older Uchiha.

"He's always been a grouch since I could remember after waking up." Itachi stated in a low tone so that his dear little brother didn't hear him. Sakura covered her mouth to stifle a giggle, knowing Sasuke enough that if he knew she was laughing at him he would make her life hell.

Itachi smirked at her reaction. The last time he was around someone who could so freely show emotions was back with the Akatsuki but even then it wasn't out of joy, rather it was anger and sadistic torment. As an Uchiha he was taught to suppress unneeded emotions but he hoped that one day if the clan was ever restored then that trait could be bred out.

"Hey, Itachi-san?" Sakura asked after a little while in a thoughtful tone. He quirked an eyebrow at her again as a sign for her to continue. They had been sitting on the couch for a couple hours now just talking and getting to know each other. They were facing each other, both sitting Indian style. Itachi's arms were crossed over his chest while Sakura had her hands folded together, resting in her lap.

"We need to tell Lady Tsunade. Now that Sasuke knows about the orders, it would be beneficial for her to know that way she can offer protection over you. I know for a fact that she hates the elders as much as we do and Danzo despises her for becoming Hokage. After the Third passed away he wanted the job so badly." Sakura measured her words as she spoke, trying to give as convincing of an argument as she could. She knew that he was still hesitant to talk to the Hokage, heavy doubt weighed on his shoulders that she wouldn't believe him.

"Sakura-san, I am sure that you understand my concerns regarding that matter." Itachi said slowly, tilting his head to the side ever so slightly.

"I do understand Itachi-san! But I really think telling my Shishou would be beneficial! I am almost finished with healing you're eyes and after that I can't promise that something won't happen to you." Sakura pleaded, trying to use her most convincing look to get him to cave. He regarded her intently before letting out a sigh.

"Hn. Fine but you get to convince my foolish little brother to accompany us to the meeting. He must tell her that he believes what I say is true." Itachi argued a glint of amusement in his eyes. He had to hand it to the girl, she defiantly knew how to push the right buttons.

"Yay! Thank you, Itachi-san; I don't think it would be fair for you to get kicked out of Konoha or worse, being subjected to interrogation then imprisonment by Ibiki." Sakura explained as her face reflected the relief she felt bubbling up inside.

"Hn." Itachi responded before falling silent. He half wondered if Sakura would be able to pull off yet another miracle with his brother, if you could call what happened last night a miracle. His brother was very unpredictable to say the least and it was hard to know which part of Sasuke would come out.

**_::_**

It had gotten much later in the day by now and it was time for Sakura to figure out what to serve the two Uchiha's for dinner. At first the wondered what she could cook for them but after a quick inventory of her cupboards, she discovered that was didn't have a whole lot. That could only mean one thing, she needed to go shopping. With an exasperated sigh Sakura left the kitchen and went in search of the infamous brothers. She found them both sitting on the couch rather stiffly as they stared at each other. The way they looked at each other made her wonder if trying to convince Sasuke would even be possible.

Steeling herself for the outcome of interrupting the apparent staring contest, she walked up to the couch, hands folded behind her back as she cleared her throat. Simultaneously they both turned their gazes onto her with equal expressions of question.

"I need to go down to the corner market and get ingredient's for dinner…" Her voice trailed off as she watched Sasuke jump to his feet and walk around the couch to stand next to her. He fixed her with a firm stare.

"I will go with you." He said simply as he shoved his hands into his pockets. Sakura just nodded, feeling a bit shocked that he had offered to go with her. She had ran through many ways of asking him to go with her but never expected him to beat her to the punch.

"O-ok, Sasuke, let's go." She nearly squeaked out. Sasuke 'Hn'd' and walked towards the door. Sakura released the breath she didn't know she was holding as she chanced a glance at Itachi. He smirked at her, giving her a knowing look and a slight nod before she smiled at him and chased after Sasuke who had just walked out the door. She slipped on her shoes quickly and closed the door behind her, leaving Itachi alone in her apartment.

"Sasuke! Wait for me!" She called out as she watched him walk down the stairs ahead of her. He didn't respond but she noticed that he slowed down is pace so she could catch up. The task didn't take her long at all and before she knew it she was walking by his side.

They walked in silence as they approached the street, Sasuke's hands still shoved deep inside his pockets while Sakura clasped her hands together behind her back. The general noise of the village enveloped them as they started down the street to the nearest corner market. Sasuke kept his eyes forward while Sakura looked down at the ground, deep in thought about how she should start the request.

**_'Don't tell me you are afraid to ask him.' _**Inner scoffed as Sakura tried to think of the best way to incur the least amount of wrath.

_'Of course I'm afraid to broach the subject! Do you not remember what he did to us last night?' _Sakura retorted, glaring at her inner self.

**_'Just ask him.' _**Inner spat out, clearly tired of the confusion in the mind they shared.

_'Fine.'_ Sakura sighed inwardly as she tried to find the right way to ask him. Finally settling on just the plain truth, she took a deep breath and began.

"Sasuke, I'd like to ask you something…" Sakura said slowly, waiting for the younger Uchiha to respond. He looked at her from the corner of his eye before responding with his trademark 'Hn' to let her know he was paying attention to her.

"So last night I may have lied to you about something." She fell silent momentarily as she felt his gaze fall on her full force now. "When I said that Shishou knew about the… uh, secret, I was lying. She doesn't know yet." Sakura said under her breath, not offering to look up at him yet afraid of what she would see. Oh Kami why did this man have to make her feel so uncomfortable?

"Hn. I know. _He _told me." Sasuke said as he returned his eyes back to ahead of him, ignoring the look Sakura shot at him. "You shouldn't have lied to me. I thought you trusted me." He said adding the last part with a slight tone of disgust, remembering how easy she laughed with his brother but feared her own teammate.

"I do trust you Sasuke! I just said what I had to so you would listen to me." Sakura said quickly, her voice rising a little more than it should have.

"Whatever. That wasn't a question, more of a statement. What is your question?" Sasuke asked in the same monotone that she had gotten used to so many years ago. Sakura chewed on her lower lip before she finally decided to say what was on her mind.

"It's about the… subject, we talked about last night. The only way to insure his safety and possibly go after the ones who are really at fault in the first place is to tell Shishou but he won't talk to her unless you agree to attend the meeting in a couple days and say that you believe him." Sakura said slowly, measuring her words and making sure she spoke quietly enough so that nobody would hear what she was saying. Sasuke didn't say anything, just 'Hn'd' to let her know that he heard her. Sakura fell silent as they reached the market and began to look for the items needed for the dinner while they entertained their own thoughts.

Twenty minutes later, they left the market and started heading back to the apartment, not one word passing through them until they were half way back when Sasuke finally spoke up.

"I'll do it." Were his only three words. It took Sakura a few moments to remember what he was talking about before it sank it.

"You mean it, Sasuke?! Oh Kami thank you!" She cried as she flung her arms around the unsuspecting Uchiha, startling him from the sudden contact. His eyes widened slightly before Sakura pulled away almost as quickly, a blush on her cheeks.

"Hn. Whatever, let's just get back." He said simply as he turned towards the direction of the apartment they shared, Sakura following him with a smile on her face. She couldn't believe how easy that was to convince him. Maybe there was hope for him still.

**_::_**

**_End Chapter 18_**

_Sorry that took so long to post, I swear I have been working on this chapter for like a week! I have had another case of writers block then I was attacked by plot bunnies but the new stories won't appear until my current ones are finished. Anyway, please review!_


	19. Chapter 19 - Mission! House Arrest!

_I had the itch to write this chapter right away so here it goes. Also, I know that by now you are probably wondering when Sakura is going to start getting closer to Itachi since this is a Saku/Ita fanfic and I promise it will come very soon if it doesn't start in this chapter. What can I say? I like the buildup :3_

**_Chapter 19 – Mission! House Arrest!_**

**_::_**

The day had finally arrived. Today was the day when Tsunade would decide Uchiha Itachi's fate within the walls of Konoha. Sakura woke up early that morning to prepare for the Hokage's arrival since Itachi couldn't walk through the village without raising suspicion.

Both Uchiha's were still in the bedrooms, probably sleeping since the last time Sakura looked at the clock it was just after 6am. Tsunade was set to arrive at 8am which gave Sakura just enough time to finish tidying and wake the guys up. She was hesitant to wake Sasuke since he wasn't the most friendly person just after waking but she had to bite the bullet and do it. After waking them she would start on their breakfast, praying that it wouldn't be Itachi's last meal in Konoha without it being shoved through jail cell bars. The thought caused her to shudder.

With a deep breath, Sakura walked down the hall and stopped just outside of Sasuke's door. She knocked softly but only heard an angry grunt, causing her to set her jaw. Looks like she was going to have to do this the hard way. Sakura twisted the knob on his door, finding it to be unlocked. Good, that would make her job much easier. She stepped into the room as quietly as she could, walking over to his window. He hadn't opened the curtains since he had arrived and she felt it was long overdue. With a slight smirk she yanked the curtains open quickly sending sunlight into the room. The younger Uchiha groaned and cursed at her, covering his head with his pillow.

_'If that's how you want to play, Sasuke…' _she said mentally as she stepped over to his bed, not taking care to be silent anymore. He already knew she was in there so what was the point in trying to hide. With another quick motion, she pulled the blankets off of him before grabbing his pillow and running from the room before he could get his barring's. The distant growling of the young Uchiha sent her into a fit of giggles as she pushed her door open and ran inside before closing the door and locking it, forgetting all about Itachi who was now wide away and smirking with amusement.

Rappid knocking came at her door along with a very irritated voice.

"Sakura! Open this door now! I need to have a _word _with you!" Sasuke seethed as he tried to break the handle on the door. Sakura suddenly began to fear for her life, this was Sasuke after all. What had she been thinking? She must have gotten a little too comfortable with him and forgot his unpredictable nature.

"I take it those belong to Sasuke?" A voice said from behind Sakura, startling her. She spun around and collided with Itachi's chest, unaware at how close he was to her.

"Y-yea, I didn't think he would take it this badly, I don't want to go back out there. He will kill me!" Sakura whimpered as she stepped away from the older Uchiha, eyeing the rattling door.

"He isn't going to kill you." Itachi said, his smirk growing wider. He stepped up to the door and unlocked it before stepping back quickly just as Sasuke swung the door open and stepped in, glaring wildly.

"Where is she!" Sasuke growled as his eyes darted around the room, looking for the pink haired girl in question. Finally his eyes caught the shimmer of pink behind Itachi's back and he lunged, only to be caught by his older brother.

"Sasuke, calm yourself." Itachi ordered as he held him by his shoulders. Sakura stepped away from them, trying to get as far away as she could from Sasuke's wrath.

"You're still annoying, Sa-ku-ra." Sasuke hissed, drawing out her name in an almost cringing way before taking a step back away from Itachi and glaring at him. "Why are you protecting her?" He asked, his face returning to the emotionless expression that he was known for. Itachi regarded his brother for a moment before deciding to reply.

"It's simple, foolish little brother. The Hokage wouldn't appreciate either of us injuring her apprentice." He said a slight smirk on his lips. His velvety tone reflected slight amusement, causing Sakura to shudder slightly.

"Hn." Sasuke said before turning on his heel and disappearing into his bedroom, slamming the door shut.

"Well, that wasn't quite the reaction I was hoping for…" Sakura said slowly as she released the breath she didn't realize she was holding. Itachi let out a slight chuckle as he leaned against the door frame, arms crossed over his chest.

"What reaction were you hoping for, Sakura-san?" Itachi asked as he watched her drop the blankets and pillow that she had been holding onto this whole time.

"Honestly?" Sakura asked, meeting the older Uchiha's eyes, noticing finally just how amused he was by what had happened.

"That would be preferable." He said, quirking an eyebrow at her.

"I have no idea." Sakura deadpanned, her face paling again. She realized how dumb that sounded and when Itachi chuckled at her statement, it was confirmed. "Well you don't need to laugh at me, _Uchiha._" She said sarcastically before walking towards the door and pushing past him. Once she was in the hallway, she turned slightly to look at him. "Get ready, Tsunade will be here in about an hour and a half."

"Yes, Sakura-san." He said with a smirk as she turned away and headed to the kitchen where she started to make their breakfast.

**_::_**

"Oh Kami, oh Kami, oh Kami!" Sakura whispered to herself over and over as she paced around the living room, wringing her hands. Normally she wouldn't be this nervous around her Shishou but they were about to try and convince the Hokage that Konoha's most wanted S-Class criminal was innocent.

Tsunade had a temper, everyone knew that and Sakura was afraid of how the busty blond would take the new information.

"Sakura, sit down." Sasuke ordered her, getting tired of his teammates incessant pacing. He was sitting in the chair next to the window, arms crossed over his chest. Itachi had remained silent for the most part as he also watched the pink haired Kunoichi pace, finding her actions to be rather entertaining.

"Shut up, Sasuke!" Sakura spat out at him, turning enough to shoot a deathly glare in his direction. He scoffed as he averted his eyes to look out the window, trying to ignore her.

"Sakura-san, please sit down." Itachi finally decided to speak up, feeling the tension grow in the room. The last thing that needed to happen was a fight between teammates. Sakura turned to look at him, eye twitching slightly.

"Ugh, fine." Sakura relented after a moment. She couldn't put her finger on it but there was something about Itachi that seemed to calm her. She chocked it up to him being older with more life experience so he knew how to handle girls who were ticking time-bombs.

She walked over to the couch he was sitting on and took a seat on the other side, her back against the arm. She pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them before resting her chin between her knees, eyes closed. Sasuke looked over at her from the corner of his eye, feeling a pang of irritation that she had listened to his murderous older brother but not him.

The room fell into a deafening silence as the clock ticked closer and closer to the time when Tsunade would arrive. Sakura's eyes remained closed as she let her thoughts trail away from the situation at hand.

_'POP'_

A white cloud mixed with leaves appeared on the other side of the coffee table, startling Sakura from her thoughts. She let out a scream, flailing her arms before falling off the couch, nearly avoiding hitting her head on the corner of said table.

"Sakura-san!" Itachi was the first to notice Sakura's ungraceful fall, quickly getting to his feet and clearing the distance to help her up.

Sakura remained on the floor, slightly dazed from falling. As her eyes focused, they fell onto the outstretched hand the older Uchiha was offering to her. She slid her small hand into his, allowing him to pull her up.

"Alright, let's get this over with." Tsunade's voice cut through the otherwise silent room. Sakura looked over at the Hokage and nodded, taking a seat while hiding her anticipation. "First, was your healing task completed?" Tsunade asked looking towards Sakura who met her gaze.

"Hai, Shishou." Sakura said, remembering how the day before was the final healing session in which Itachi regained full sight.

"Good. Now we need to discuss your future in Konoha." Her eyes shifted to rest on the older Uchiha who turned to look at her, nothing reflecting in his eyes. "I can see that you have not given Sakura any problems during this last week, however, that doesn't mean that you won't. I hope you can appreciate what I have had to go through to keep your stay here a secret but that is not a risk I am willing to take." Tsunade explained in her usual gruff manor. Sakura chewed on her lower lip as she wondered who should broach the subject when the person she least expected spoke up.

"He didn't do it." Sasuke said cryptically, causing the busty blond to snap her head in his direction, her honey colored eyes boring into him.

"What do you mean by that?! Of course he did it, you numbskull!" Tsunade growled, taking a step closer to the young Uchiha, hands balling into fists.

"Hn. Ask him." Sasuke spat out as he pointed in Itachi's direction. The older Uchiha simply raised an eyebrow in response before sitting back down where he had been for the past half hour. Sakura looked between the three other people in the room with an expression stating she clearly wished she was somewhere else at that moment.

"Shishou… if I may?" Sakura said slowly from her spot on the opposite side of the couch. She nervously pulled at the hem of her shirt as she chewed on her lower lip, waiting for the Godaime Hokage's answer, who was now looking at her, unimpressed with her own apprentice knowing something important and had refrained from speaking of it until now.

"Go on then, Sakura." Tsunade finally answered as she pulled the reclining chair directing in front of the couch with ease leaving flattened trails in the carpet before taking a seat, elbows resting on the arms as her fingers entwined with themselves, falling to rest against her mouth in a thoughtful manor. Sakura inwardly winced as she watched the Hokage treat her furniture so rough.

For the next hour Sakura pain-stakingly went through every detail she had learned from Itachi shortly after he had initially kidnapped her, allowing him to add details she didn't know about. Tsunade remained silent; listening intently at the new information she was just given. A woman in her position had no reason to try and believe this story; she had history as evidence that clearly stated that Itachi was responsible for the whole massacre. A typical, responsible Hokage who trusted the Elders of the village should just send for ANBU and have the criminal detained. Luckily for them, Tsunade wasn't this kind of woman.

When they all fell silent after Sasuke gave his two cents on the matter, stating he reluctantly believed the older Uchiha, Tsunade slowly got up from the chair and walked over to the window where Sasuke was sitting at. With a slight sigh, she closed the curtains sending the room into darkness before turning to face the others, her eyes stern, her face showed no sign of emotion.

"Shis-" Sakura began to ask if her mentor was alright, what she was thinking about but the very woman cut her off, her voice booming throughout the room.

"I knew it! I knew those bastards were behind these kinds of things! It's their damn fault that Naruto was treated like an outcast in the first place! Now I learn that they are really at fault for the destruction of an entire clan! One of the founding clans nonetheless!" Tsunade ranted as she paced around the room looking for something to either hit or throw out the window. The aura around her reeked of anger and bloodlust, a very dangerous combination of emotions she knew all too well coming from her Shishou.

"Uchiha!" Tsunade stopped in her tracks and spun around, looking at the rouge-nin dead in his eyes. He calmly looking back at her, his face not reflecting anything he may have been feeling at that moment.

"Hokage-sama?" Itachi replied, waiting for the blond woman to say what he already thought she would.

"I sure hope you have evidence to back this up!" She growled at the ex-Leaf, moving towards her chair and taking a seat, focusing on him. Itachi simply nodded once before producing the mission scroll he had received so many years ago that ordered him to kill his clan. Tsunade took it and looked it over before rolling it back up and clearing her throat. "Sakura, keep Itachi here until further notice. None of you," she looked towards Sasuke as she spoke, "are to leave this apartment until I, myself, come to retrieve the three of you. Keep the curtains closed and do NOT answer your door." Her eyes shifted towards Itachi as she concluded what she had to say before vanishing into a cloud of smoke and leaves. "I'm taking this with me."

**_::_**

The room fell into silence for a long moment before Sasuke scoffed at nothing and vanished from the room, retreating to his personal space, slamming the door closed.

"That went better than expected." Sakura said with a dazed tone of voice, her eyes never leaving the spot where Tsunade had vanished from. She heard Itachi give a light chuckle from beside her as he got up and began to task himself to closing all of the curtains in the apartment after placing seals on them to deter unwanted visitors.

With a slight sigh, Sakura adjusted her position so that she was lying on the couch on her back as her legs dangled over the arm. She folded her hands on her stomach as she stared blankly at the ceiling.

_'Now what do I do? I am… well we are essentially under house arrest until further notice. I am going to go stir crazy!' _She ranted to herself, letting out another audible sigh. She seemed to be doing a lot of that lately.

**_'You're the one who got us into this mess!' _**Inner decided to pipe up, causing Sakura to grit her teeth. She really didn't want to deal with her right now.

_'No I didn't! Itachi kidnapped me and Tsunade ordered Sasuke to live with me!' _Sakura cried out in frustration. This was just way too much.

**_'Ok, maybe Sasuke wasn't our fault but Itachi certainly was. You didn't have to bring him back.' _**Inner retorted, waggling her finger in Sakura's face.

_'What other choice did I have? It was either come back or stay as his captive. I chose the ladder, obviously.' _

**_"Yeah, yeah. Well there is nothing we can do about it, you are just going to have to deal with these guys and their Diva complexes until Shishou decides what to do about it.' _**Inner said in a rather rare tone of defeat. Sakura just shook her head and closed her eyes outwardly, pushing Inner away for the time being.

Her mind began to drift through different tasks she could do while being in her house without the ability to leave for any reason. She wouldn't have Itachi's eyes to heal now so the two hours a day that went to healing was now available. Great, more free time.

"Wait…" Sakura said slowly as she began to remember something else that was wrong with Itachi when she had given him a preliminary examination. Maybe now was a good time to broach the subject. She scrambled to her feet and searched the apartment for Itachi before she found him in her room, currently placing a seal over the window.

"Hey, Itachi-san, I'd like to talk to you about something." Sakura tried to make her voice sound even and conversational but she couldn't hide the nerves she had at that moment. Itachi turned to face her, his brow raised in question.

"Of course, Sakura-san." He said in his usual velvety voice that was very pleasing on the ears. She walked into the room and closed the door softly behind her before taking a deep breath and turning around. It was now or never.

"Ok, so, a week ago when I did a preliminary examination on you before I could try and heal your eyes, I sensed something… else. I didn't pay much attention to it at first because I was told to just heal your eyes but… I feel like there is something wrong and I'd like to know what it is." Her voice was quiet as she spoke, cautiously weighing her words. She didn't know how far she could push such personal subjects before he would stop putting up with her. She averted her eyes as she voiced her curiosity, looking at everything but the very man she was talking about.

He didn't respond right away, letting the words hang in the air, making Sakura grow even more nervous. Her brain told her to bold from the room but her legs began to feel wobbly and she didn't think she'd make it very far. The sound of his voice startled her.

"What you sensed is a disease I have had since I was young. It has no name or treatment but if you wish to try, I see no issue." He said with slight thought laced into his voice. It was true, his mother tried to find a cure when he was a child but there was nothing that could be done. All he could do was take medications to suppress the symptoms. After he had been ordered to kill off his clan, he made peace with the idea that either the disease or Sasuke would kill him but now that Sasuke no longer wanted revenge, at least with him, maybe he could try and see if this Kunoichi who healed the effects of Sharingan in his eyes could do something about his other illness.

"R-really?!" Sakura looked up at him, locking her eyes with him as disbelief registered on her face. Itachi smirked at her reaction before walking over to her bed and sitting down, waiting for her to take the hint that she could begin her exam. Sakura stared at him a little longer before realizing that he wasn't joking and was waiting for her to begin.

She walked over to him and sat in front of him, placing her hands on his chest. Immediately she went into medic mode and let her green chakra pour into him, flowing it through his body to find the source of his disease. It didn't take her long for her to pinpoint it in his lungs. He had said he had the sickness since he was a child so that meant it might have had a chance to spread throughout his body. Knowing she found the main part of it, she continued to inspect his organs, finding the disease in his heart and kidneys. Wincing slightly, she withdrew her chakra and inhaled before looking up at Itachi, noticing his expectant expression.

"Itachi-san…" She started but couldn't finish when she saw his slightly hopeful look collapsed from her tone.

"Nothing you can do." It wasn't a question.

"Quite the opposite. I recognize those kinds of cells and I know I can repair the damage, there is just one thing." She said slowly as she looked towards the window that now closed her room off from the world.

"What is the 'one thing'?" Itachi asked, quirking an eyebrow at her.

"It will take weeks to completely erase from your system." Sakura said rather happy about her explanation.

"You say that like it's a good thing, Sakura-san." He said with a slight smirk. He was intrigued by her, not having met anyone quite like her.

"It is a good thing! You just saved me Kami knows how many days of pure hellish boredom!" She said with a smile, sitting up on her knees, resting her hands palms down on her thighs.

"How so?" He asked, his amusement reflecting on his face at her antics.

"Because… if I have to spend weeks healing you, that will save me from going out of my mind. I hate being cooped up without something to do!" She explained as she stood up from the bed and walked over to her bookshelf that contained numerous medical scrolls she had gotten from the library. Itachi just watched her, letting the feeling of hope wash through him.

**_::_**

**_End Chapter 19_**

_I hope you enjoyed this; it took me a few days to write it. It was kind of filler and had more info qualities but I promise that the following will be exciting. Review!_


	20. Chapter 20 - Interesting Day

_I can't believe I am on chapter 20 already! Seems like not too long ago I was just beginning to write this story. I thank every one of you who has favorite'd, followed, and reviewed this story. Without your feedback I wouldn't have been able to continue. It's the reviews and continued growth in popularity that drives me to add more and more. Thank you again to all of you!_

**_Chapter 20 – Interesting Day_**

**_::_**

"I. Am. Bored!" Sakura bit out as she remained stretched out on the living room floor, staring at the ceiling. She had been going over all of her medical scrolls she had along with quite a few that she had requested to be delivered to her in the hopes of finding less painful ways to extract Itachi's disease. So far she wasn't having luck. She would begin the intense healing tomorrow morning after doing as much research as possible, which she had now pretty much completed.

"Then do something." Sasuke scoffed from his position on the couch. He was sitting on one side, legs crossed in a very unmanly way as he read a fantasy book of Sakura's. She shot him a glare even though he couldn't see it since she was lying behind the couch.

"I'm not used to being kept cooped up like this. What did _you _do when you were with Orochimaru?" Sakura asked, not caring if the subject was sensitive. She heard Sasuke close the book in his hand rather exaggeratedly.

"I trained." He replied, his tone returning to the normal stoic one she had gotten used to so many years ago.

"Can't train here, _Oh Devoted One_." Sakura said sarcastically, drawing out the nickname in a mocking fashion. Regardless of their… whatever they were, has improved since his return, Sakura still held onto the hurt and hatred she felt for the younger Uchiha for the way he once treated her and made her feel lower then dirt.

Itachi was sitting on the floor near the patio door watching the two interact. Up until now he had tried his best to remain silent so he could see how they treated each other, how they reacted to one another. He knew his brother well enough but he still didn't know Sakura that well and their relationship as teammates was quite interesting. Especially with the new nickname she bestowed on Sasuke.

"Your still annoying." Sasuke bit out, opening the book again as he tried to ignore Sakura. He knew what she was trying to do and wouldn't play into her games.

"Annoying is better than looking like a chicken's ass." She said rather seriously, not taking her eyes off the ceiling. She knew she would get to him at some point with the names and comments but wanted to see how far she could really push him.

"Hn." He said simply, his knuckles turning white from his grip intensifying on the book. Itachi let a smirk appear on his face.

"Can you do the chicken dance, Sasuke?" Sakura asked after a few moments, wanting to push a little further. If she was stuck in here with these guys then she was at least going to have fun and make them as uncomfortable as she was.

"Sakura. Stop." Sasuke replied, his teeth grinding together as he tried to restrain himself from attacking her. She must have learned this from Naruto.

"Cluck." She spat out finally looking over at the couch. She watched Sasuke shudder slightly before his head spun around, his Sharingan activated.

"Not another word, woman." He warned her, the tomoes in his eyes spinning wildly as he chucked the book aside.

"Word." She said in a testing voice, her face showing no emotion. He would have been impressed with this in any other circumstance but his patience was thinning. Itachi continued to watch in silence from his spot, smirking even more. He had never seen someone, let alone a woman try so hard to annoy his little brother. He was beginning to like her more.

"Sa-ku-ra. Stop." Sasuke said slowly, drawing out her name as he swallowed his irritation. The last thing he needed was to get thrown into jail over a fight with the Hokage's former apprentice.

"I can't help it. I'm bored and you are just _so _easy to annoy." She said as she sat up and looked at him, a pout forming on her lips. Sasuke began to wonder what happened to the unhappy, grown woman he had found while on their last mission.

"Then annoy Itachi, not me." Sasuke spat out at her before taking his seat again, staring her down. Sakura's face flickered with annoyance before a new emotion melted into her eyes and a smirk appeared on her lips. Sasuke narrowed his eyes at her wondering what she was planning as she moved so she was on her hands and knees, crawling towards his older brother.

Itachi watched Sakura approach him in a very odd manor after she apparently took Sasuke's advice to annoy him, although he doubted what she had in mind would be very annoying. He wasn't as volatile as his little brother after all. Sakura continued to crawl towards him until they were a few inches apart. She sat up on her knees and rested her palms on her thighs before scooting closer her knees touched his legs that were currently crossed Indian style.

Sasuke remained on the couch, watching Sakura intently, wondering what she was going to do. He didn't think she would actually take his advice and go annoy Itachi but the fact that she had the guts to do it was a whole new story. He half wanted to see his brother put her in her place while another part of him wanted to watch him suffer under Sakura's annoyances.

Sakura remained silent as she locked her eyes with Itachi, his arms crossed over his chest as he waited to see what she was going to do. They sat like that for a few minutes, just staring at each other, causing the anticipation Sasuke was feeling to rise to an unbearable level. Itachi wouldn't say he was growing annoyed with her silence, just feeling his patience wan slightly. Her emerald hues never moved, she didn't blink, just stared. Was she starting to look creepy? Maybe slightly.

"Can I help you?" Itachi finally asked into the silence, his voice cutting into the thick aura around the three of them. The question caught Sakura off guard but it didn't show on her face as she finally blinked.

"Nope, just waiting." She replied lamely, moving her hands to cup them in her lap. The look Sasuke shot her behind her back went unseen by her but Itachi caught it. Sasuke looked like he couldn't believe any of their interaction, like it was the most alien thing imaginable.

"Waiting for what, Sakura-san?" He asked, wishing to know what she found so interesting all of a sudden. Was she trying to pull something over on Sasuke or was she truly waiting for something else to happen.

"Just for something interesting to happen." She stated matter-of-factly, allowing herself to blink again. She truly had no idea why she was doing what she was doing, it just felt like a good idea at the time and there was no getting out of this now.

"I see." Itachi said as his eyes narrowed, a smirk playing at his lips again. His eyes darted momentarily to his silent brother who was peering over the couch at him, his eyes round like an owl, giving him the look of a child seeing something he shouldn't be seeing.

The room fell silent again as Sakura and Itachi continued the staring contest. Inner decided to pipe up then.

**_'You should poke him!' _**Inner cried with glee at the idea.

_'Excuse me?! What?' _Sakura shrieked, not sure she heard her inner self right.

**_'Poke him. Y'know like how he used to do with Sasuke.' _**Inner said slowly, rolling her eyes as if it was the most simple thing in the world and ants could figure it out.

_'And just how do you know what Itachi used to do to Sasuke?' _Sakura questioned, slightly unnerved by her inner self knowing something that she herself had never known.

**_'I've been around.' _**Inner replied before vanishing in a cloud of metaphorical smoke leaving Sakura feeling confused. After a moment she began to wonder what they would do if she did poke him like that. A memory flooded her mind out of nowhere from her childhood, back when they were very young. Before Itachi was ordered to slaughter the clan. They were at a park and Sasuke was there with Itachi. They had been talking and Itachi poked Sasuke in the forehead for no reason. That must be what Inner meant.

With an inward shrug, Sakura raised her right hand, folding her fingers into a loose fist except for her outstretched index and middle fingers. She moved her hand closer and closer to Itachi's forehead, his eyes still trained on hers with an unreadable expression. She wondered if he would actually let her get away with this or if it was even a good idea but her hand kept moving until she felt her fingers touch his forehead lightly, the skin warm against the tips. Her eyes widened as he made no effort to avoid it, just simply smirking at her boldness.

"Well that was interesting." Sakura said bemused as she lowered her hand, raising one eyebrow slightly. She couldn't figure out why anyone would be afraid of the infamous Uchiha Itachi.

"Indeed." He replied, the smirk growing wider.

_'THUD'_

They both jerked back to reality as something large and heavy collided with the floor. Shooting to their feet, they walked over to the couch and looked over the side, only to find Sasuke on the floor, his eyes glazed over.

**_::_**

Sasuke had recovered from the shock of seeing someone actually _poke _his brother but claimed it was nothing more than exhaustion induced dizziness. Sakura offered to heal him but he brushed her attempts aside and went to his room, locking the door behind him.

Sakura simply shrugged and went about tidying the already spotless apartment as she tried to occupy herself with something while being stuck inside all day. She so wished that Tsunade would let her out of the apartment but knew that it wouldn't happen. What's more is that she expected Naruto or even Ino to show up and demand to know why she has been acting like a hermit but nobody arrived. Maybe they were given orders to stay away.

After a few more minutes of busy work she decided to go take a nap. Yes, that would pass some time and it's not like she had anything else that she needed to do right now anyway.

"I'm going to take a nap, Itachi-san." Sakura told him as she walked by the chair he had been sitting in, yawning as if to state the point.

"Aa, alright Sakura-san." He said as he looked up from the magazine he was currently looking through. It was a medical magazine which drew Itachi's attention when he had come across it while looking through one of the baskets beside her table.

Sakura walked down the hall towards her room and entered, skirting Itachi's temporary bed. She began to wonder where he would stay if Tsunade was able to verify their story and somehow managed to take him out of the Bingo Book. Maybe she would have the Uchiha compound fixed up, but then again, she doubted he would even _want _to step foot back in that place. She wouldn't if she was in his position.

Lying down, she rolled onto her side facing the window that she wasn't allowed to open. She missed having the daylight pour into her room but knew that it wouldn't last forever. With a light sigh, she closed her eyes and let her mind drift off into thoughts, wondering when she would finally be allowed to partake in a mission again. She began to miss going on them and working with Team Kakashi before Sasuke returned. Sure, Sai pissed her off to no end as well as Naruto, but they were her team. Damn Uchiha's and their need to ruin things.

A soft knock came at the door before it creaked open. She rolled over just enough to look and see who had entered only to find Itachi. She smiled slightly at him before returning to her previous position and closing her eyes again. By now she had gotten used to him being in her room, he hadn't tried anything whatsoever with her and much to her surprise, she was comfortable around him while she slept.

"Sakura-san?" He spoke quietly as he approached her bed, drawing her attention back to him. She turned over again and raised a questioning eyebrow at him, silently urging him to state what he wanted to ask. "When will my treatments start?" He asked in a conversational tone that surprised her. She was reminded of all those stories she heard about this man being uncaring and unapproachable but she was seeing something completely different.

"Oh, well since I am not really doing anything, how about now?" She sat up quickly and crossed her legs Indian style so that she could make room for him to sit down. He nodded and walked over to her, sitting in front of her calmly, his hands folded loosely in his lap as he waited. Sakura wasted no time as she placed her hands on his chest, infusing her hands with the green medic chakra.

It began to seep into his body with a steady, warm pace, trailing through his veins and arties, finding all of the illness and attacking it. For the first round of treatment she figured she would at least find the newest cells and kill them off before attacking the older, more ingrained ones that were going the real damage.

Itachi sat perfectly still for her, almost relaxing under the care of her chakra. It was surprisingly soothing when he first had it running through him while she worked on his eyes. So far he felt no discomfort from her efforts but began to wonder if it would become painful as the treatments progressed. He would have to ask her later on.

They remained silent for about an hour as she concentrated on her task but a question kept plaguing her mind and she decided it was a good time to ask.

"Itachi-san?" She spoke slowly, her voice barely audible. She was leaning slightly forward, her pink bangs covering her eyes that were narrowed in concentration. He didn't move in the slightest as she spoke, causing her to wonder if he even heard her until he 'hned' as a sign for her to continue with her question.

"How come you are so different than what I've heard about you?" She measured her words carefully so that she wouldn't sound as uncertain with the prying as she felt inwardly. He didn't answer right away and after a few minutes Sakura inwardly kicked herself. When he spoke, it startled her.

"What have you heard about me?" He asked carefully, eyeing the pink haired girl who still had her small, soft hands pressed against his chest. She thought about it for a moment before replying.

"Well, I was told that you were a prodigy, the highlight of the Uchiha clan. You graduated fairly young and joined ANBU at a young age as well. I was told that you showed a lack of emotion towards anything in life and you killed easily without even batting an eye. After the massacre, it became a known fact around Konoha that you were a cold, heartless monster and even I ended up hating you from how Sasuke acted." Her voice trailed off as she remembered the day that Kakashi had asked them what their goals were as new Shinobi. Itachi didn't reply for a long time but when he did, his voice was soft.

"That is half true. The facts that I was an accomplished Shinobi at a young age is correct but as for everything else, I do not enjoy killing. I just hid my contempt for it easier than most others could. I actually loved my family. When I had to slaughter them, it nearly broke me. I shed many tears that night." Sakura didn't say anything as she let his words sink in. Slowly she withdrew her chakra until her hands no longer glowed and let them fall into her lap.

They sat in silence for a little while, not making eye contact. The thought of her opinions being completely wrong even though she had never met him until recently made her feel guilty. She was no better than any other gossiping citizen for basing an opinion off of something she knew nothing about. She began to chew on her lower lip, not realizing the action. It was one of her nervous habits that slipped out when she wasn't paying attention to it.

"Sakura-san." Itachi's voice startled her out of her thoughts, her head shooting up. Her eyes connected with his, her guilt and inner turmoil clearly visible on her face. "Don't fret over it; I wanted the village to think those things. They needed someone to blame and they couldn't know that their elders were the ones who ordered it." He said in a low tone so that only she could hear it. Her eyes left his as she suddenly found her sheets interesting.

"I understand that, but after getting to know you the village has it so wrong. Hopefully Tsunade-Shishou can fix that." She said slowly as she returned her eyes to his, catching a flicker of hope in them before the usual stoic amusement replaced it.

"Just one person at a time is all I can ask for. It started with you, then my little brother and now the Hokage. I don't need everyone's acceptance, nor could I expect it but I'd like to be able to live here again in peace." He said as he reached his hands out towards hers and grasped them firmly. This was a very new form of human contact that he wasn't used to but felt like it was needed, deciding to act upon it.

As soon as Sakura felt her hands in his she could feel a blush creeping into her face. She averted her eyes again as she tried to hide it, failing miserably. Itachi watched her, a smirk appearing on his lips. He reiterated that she was very entertaining and slightly enjoyable to be around.

"I'm glad I could help!" Sakura squeaked out, reminding herself of Hinata. Her heart pounded a little harder in her chest when she felt him tracing small circles on the backs of her hands with his thumbs, eliciting another blush to creep out.

"Sakura-san, do I make you uncomfortable?" He asked with a hint of teasing in his voice as he noticed her blush intensify. Immediately after his words were spoken her head shot up and she shook her head 'no' quickly, her eyes growing wide.

"No! Of course not! I'm just tired!" She replied a little too quickly, jerking her hands from his in hopes of calming herself. The last thing she needed to do was draw attention from Sasuke in the room across from hers.

Itachi let out a chuckle as he stood up from her bed and headed to the door. Just before walking out he turned towards her, a hint of a genuine smile on his face.

"Get some rest Sakura-san." He said before stepping out and closing the door behind him, leaving Sakura alone. She let out a breath that she didn't know she was holding before letting herself sink down into her bed. The exhaustion from the healing session swept over her as she closed her eyes, letting sleep take over her mind.

**_::_**

**_End Chapter 20_**

_Ok this was sort of a filler chapter, some fun moments in it and a small spark starting between Itachi and Sakura. I hope you all enjoyed it! Please Review~_


	21. Chapter 21 - Protection

_I wanted to write this right away so please enjoy. The last chapter was shorter then I would have liked but this one will be longer and more exciting. I promise._

**_Chapter 21 – Protection_**

**_::_**

There was only so much Sakura could sleep before it became annoying in itself. With a heavy sigh, she stood up and walked to her closet opening it up. There was a box on the top shelf where she kept a lot of the stuff her friends and family would give her as presents that would normally be useless to her, but today there was one in particular that she figured would be useful. The top shelf was just out of her reach, meaning that the box was annoyingly out of reach as well.

She groaned before walking to her desk and dragging the small chair across her room and placing it just inside the closet before standing on it and snatching the box off the shelf. With a satisfied smile, she turned around and stepped off the chair, instantly forgetting that she was so far off the ground.

_'AHHHHHHHHH!'_

_'THUD'_

Her shriek of surprise echoed throughout the apartment as she hit the floor rather hard, her face smacking directly into that box she worked so hard to get. Her body pulsing with adrenaline from the fall, she faintly tasted metal in her mouth indicating she had hit down hard enough on her cheek causing it to bleed.

"Sakura-san!" A moment later the bedroom door flew open and Itachi stepped into the room, taking in the scene before him. Sakura lying on the floor in front of the closet on her stomach, the desk chair toppled over with her right leg propped up on it, her face smashed into a small box. He walked over to her and removed the chair from where it was lying before kneeling down and sliding his hands around her shoulders, pulling her up.

At first she looked dazed from the fall before her eyes focused on his obsidian, an embarrassed smile appearing on her lips.

"Ow?" She said a little unsure. This was the first time she opened her mouth since her fall and the accumulated blood ran down the corner of her mouth, leaving a bright red trail down her chin that dropped onto her shirt.

"You're bleeding." He said matter-of-factly before pulling the sleeve of his shirt over his hand and ever so carefully wiping her chin clean. Sakura watched him silently as she felt the soft fabric of the shirt touch her face, his eyes trained on what he was doing.

"Thank you, Itachi-san." Sakura whispered her eyes remained locked on his face, taking in how smooth his features were. She noticed that his brows drew together in concentration very slightly, not enough to notice from far away but since she was close enough, she caught it.

"No need to thank me, Sakura-san." He spoke as he lowered his hand, looking up at her eyes again. At that moment when obsidian met emerald, Sakura felt a deep down feeling of want that she had suppressed so many years ago when she finally came to terms with whatever she had felt for Sasuke. It scared her at that moment, wondering if she was just simply looking for something that wasn't there… again.

"Itachi-san…" She didn't know why she said his name but it just flowed from her lips. She felt herself wanting to move closer to him, shorten the distance between their bodies. She wondered slightly how he would react if she did just that. She absentmindedly slid her closest hand towards his, resting it lightly on top, feeling how warm it felt. Sakura let herself lean forward, their noses only mere inches apart, her eyes never breaking contact with his.

A throat cleared some distance away causing both Sakura and Itachi to jump, her more so than him. The force of her reaction drove her forward crashing her forehead into his with a dull clapping sound. She felt his hands once again on her shoulders as he steadied her as her hand flew to her now throbbing head, covering the visible red mark.

"I heard Sakura scream." Sasuke's voice broke the otherwise silence in the room drawing both of their eyes towards where he was leaning against the door frame, arms crossed over his chest as he looked at them disapprovingly.

"I'm fine." Sakura spat out as she got to her feet, hand still on her forehead. She wasn't sure what she was madder about; Sasuke ruining the moment or herself for wanting a moment like that with Itachi.

"Hn. Whatever." He scoffed before walking back into his room, closing the door a little too firmly than need be.

"Are you sure you are alright, Sakura-san?" Itachi asked from behind her. She turned to look at him, seeing that he was now standing. She nodded before walking over to her box and digging in it, retrieving what looked like a book. The cover was made of some sort of soft material that was colored white. It was decorated with intricate pink and gold cherry blossom petals along the edges. The paper itself along the edges were tinted gold, giving the book a classy feel. After taking the book from the box, she crossed to her desk and found a pen, ignoring Itachi's curious gaze as he watched her movements.

When she had gathered what she had originally wanted, she walked out of her room, into the living room where she grabbed a throw pillow off the couch and tossed it on the floor where she laid down on her stomach before opening the book in front of her, pen in hand.

Itachi followed her and sat on the couch that was close by, watching her with interest. She stared at the page for a long time before her hand started working furiously sketching something that had yet to take form.

He watched her for quite some time, surprised by the fact that she knew how to draw. She didn't strike him as the kind to do art, maybe this was something nobody else knew about. As the time drew on the object of her concentration began to take form though he still couldn't quite see what it was.

"What are you drawing?" Curiosity got the better of him so he decided to ask. Sakura was intently concentrating, her tongue poking out of the corner of her mouth with her brows slightly furrowed. When she heard him speak she looked up at him for a moment before returning to the picture and looking it over.

"Hmm, I'm not sure yet." She said in a thoughtful voice, looking over what she had completed so far. It was a simple nature scene with grass lining the bottom of the page and cherry blossom trees all over. In the center she drew a fountain. Now that she looked at the image, she had no idea why she thought about it. Itachi remained silent as he watched her more, silence descending upon the room.

**_::_**

When Sakura was done with her picture she closed the book that was no longer empty and stashed it in the bedside table where her journal was currently lying. After the initial invasions of privacy, she noticed that they no longer looked through it.

The silence of her room was nice, she rarely got to have a few minutes to herself since being ordered to share her home with the two remaining Uchiha's. Sasuke had yet to come out of his room and Itachi had decided to fall asleep on the couch so she had some time to do what she wanted.

_'I think I'll take a bath!' _She said to herself as she got up from where she was sitting on her bed. That actually sounded like a good idea so she gathered fresh clothes and walked to the bathroom, locking the door behind her just in case.

She ran the water, letting it run as hot as it could and added her strawberry scented bubble bath, watching as it foamed into a slight pink foam floating above the water. With a smile, she peeled off her clothes and tossed them into the laundry basket in the linin closet and stepped into the hot water. The first initial touch was scalding until she got used to it, feeling as the warmth soothed her aching muscles from lying on the floor for so long.

"Mmmm." She moaned as she sunk even lower into the water, submerging so that the only thing seen peeking out of the bubbles was her head. She closed her eyes and let herself forget about everything that had happened over the past couple weeks. She let her thoughts travel to nonsense but was unfortunately interrupted by a knocking on the bathroom door.

"What's so important that you need to interrupt my bath?!" She grumbled out loud enough for whoever was disturbing her would hear. There was no response for a few minutes until she heard a voice.

"We need to talk." It was Sasuke. Great, he would choose now of all times to want to talk to her. She sighed and rubbed her temples, the water splashing slightly.

"Can it wait? I am too comfortable to get out." She said with a bit of annoyance in her voice, hoping it would deter him enough to let her be.

"No. Now." He said as he tried to turn the knob only to find out it was locked. She heard him breathe out a long sigh before sending chakra into the lock and popping it open. Sakura heard it click and dove back under the water before pulling the shower curtain closed, blocking any view of her nakedness. She barely got it done before Sasuke stepped in and re-locked the door.

Sakura couldn't see him but she could feel him looking in her direction. She could hear him breathing impatiently, leaning against the door.

"Will you get out?!" Sakura squeaked out as she peaked out of the curtain, making sure she kept it closed as not to reveal anything she didn't want him to see.

"No. I don't like how comfortable you are getting with Itachi." He said as he locked his eyes with hers, crossing his arms over his chest. Sakura felt the heat rise in her face but she wasn't sure if it was from him being in the bathroom with her or him being clearly agitated by her becoming friendly with his brother.

"I don't know what you're talking about. Get out!" She spat out as him as she closed the curtain again, glaring daggers at the curtain in the general direction of Sasuke.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about. You shouldn't trust him; I am your teammate, not him." Sasuke ground out through clenched teeth.

"Are you jealous, Uchiha Sasuke?!" Sakura asked as she whipped the curtain open, staring at him with round eyes. She didn't realize that she opened it too far and that the bubbles were no longer covering her as they should have been. Sasuke now had a clear view of her chest, and she didn't even notice.

His eyes widened from both the proclamation of her asking if he was in fact jealous and the shock of seeing more of Sakura then he should of at this moment.

"Hn. I am not jealous, I don't care." He said as he averted his eyes, fumbling with the door knob as he unlocked it before slipping out of the bathroom.

Sakura looked at the door in confusion, trying to figure out why he had left so quickly. Was the thought of him being jealous more than he could take? She shook her head slightly before looking down at the now cooling water and noticed how she appeared at that moment. Shower curtain pulled back enough to show her upper body which was peeking out of the water, nothing covering the pale flesh of her breasts. Her face paled as she realized that this was why he had all but ran from the room.

She shrieked before jumping out of the water and drying off, throwing her clothes on as quickly as she could while the water drained. She felt her face flush with new embarrassment as she opened the door and dashed to her room, closing it behind her.

She wasn't even safe in her own bathroom anymore, how depressing. She walked over to her bed and flopped down on it, her face buried in her pillows. She felt like she needed to apologize to Sasuke for exposing herself but then again it was his fault, he did force his way into the bathroom.

She faintly heard the door open then close and the shuffle of feet against the carpet as someone made their way to her. She groaned but didn't look up, wondering if it was Sasuke again. She tried to think of something to say to him but nothing came to mind, instead, she just remained silent and pretended that she was asleep.

"Is something wrong, Sakura-san?" It was Itachi. She felt relieved that it was him and not Sasuke. She moved her head so that she could look at him while she remained in contact with the pillow, wondering if she should tell him or not.

"Well, I was trying to take a bath but Sasuke wouldn't leave me alone. He came in anyway and saw me…" She trailed off as she motioned to her chest, feeling her cheeks heat up from a new wave of embarrassment. She looked at Itachi after speaking, catching a hint of a smirk on his lips before he replied.

"I see, so my foolish little brother invaded your privacy again." He said slowly as he folded his hands in his lap.

"I don't know how much longer I can keep my sanity if I can't get time to myself! I can't even be naked in my own home while taking a bath anymore." She said in an exasperated tone, looking away from him as she chewed on her lower lip.

"Sasuke doesn't usually think about the outcome of the choices that he makes." Itachi said as he tried to cheer her up but it didn't have any effect. Sakura already knew this much but it still didn't make it any better.

"I'm going to have to talk to Tsunade-Shishou about having Sasuke move out. I understand why you can't leave but I really don't see why he has to be here…" Sakura said slowly, more to herself than anything else. This whole situation seemed unneeded and pointless and she was ready for them to get out.

"Do what you need to do Sakura-san, but for the time being, just ignore him. I know he is infuriating but try to let it go." He said, trying to help. He honestly didn't know what to say that would make her feel better about this situation.

"Itachi-san, the whole reason he came into the bathroom was because he told me that he didn't like how comfortable I am becoming around you. I think he is jealous that I am no longer obsessing over him. He is really confusing." Sakura sighed as she spoke, deciding to tell Itachi the full extent of Sasuke's invasion. She looked at him and watched something flicker in his eyes before he looked towards the door.

"Sasuke is afraid we are growing too close and he will lose any claim he has over you." Itachi said finally, knowing that must have been why Sasuke felt threatened enough to say something when he normally wouldn't.

"What?" Sakura sat up and looked towards the older Uchiha, confusion on her face. "He has no claim over me! He ruined that the day he left the village!" She practically yelled as she glared in the general direction of the door. The memories of Sasuke kissing her for the first time on their last mission together flashed through her mind and she found herself becoming angry. That must have been it; he wanted to claim her like an object.

"If you would like, Sakura-san, I will not leave your side in case he plans to do anything that might put you in an uncomfortable situation. He knows enough to not do anything stupid while I'm around." Itachi offered as he looked back at the clearly angry pinkette, watching as she turned her head to look at him, her eyes widening slightly.

"Would you really do that?" She asked, her tone slightly hopeful as she was comforted by the thought of not being alone with Sasuke.

"I will, you are healing me and I cannot let anyone threaten my doctor." He stated with another smirk on his face. He remembered how she had fallen earlier that morning and he was almost instantly at her side, feeling the need to rescue the woman.

"Thank you, Itachi-san." She said softly as she moved closer to him and embraced him, feeling him tense slightly at the sudden contact. Almost as soon as she hugged him she let go and moved away, her face growing a shade of pink again. He smiled at her before pushing her back down so she could rest and got up, leaving the room, closing the door softly behind him.

She was once again alone in her room but this time she had no need to leave, knowing that Itachi would stop Sasuke from bothering her more. That thought comforted her more then she would have imagined as she closed her eyes and let her mind drift off. The last thing she thought about before sleep took her was Itachi and how it would feel for him to hold her protectively.

It was strange that she was feeling the wanting to be close to him, she never would have imagined wanting to feel that way. Especially with Uchiha Itachi, but after her first meeting with him, she somehow couldn't help but feel at peace when he was around, even when he had first kidnapped her. Thinking back on that day, sure she was afraid for her life but it didn't take long for him to convince her otherwise.

**_::_**

Tsunade was in her office looking over the scroll she had gotten from Uchiha Itachi for the hundredth time. She had yet to make a decision regarding what she had learned but knew she needed to have a plan in place before she could confront the elders and Danzo.

A knock came at her office door, alerting her to the presence of two other people waiting for her to allow them to enter.

"Enter." She spoke gruffly as she rolled up the scroll and tucked it away in her desk, watching as the door opened, Yamanaka Inoichi and Nara Shikaku stepped in. She grunted as she realized why they were there.

"Tsunade-sama, we have news regarding the latest Rogues to be interrogated. They know nothing on the Akatsuki. I probed the two men's minds to verify this. What do we do with them now?" Inoichi was the one to speak first, Shikaku standing next to him with a bored expression on his face.

"Lock them away in the prison; we will transfer them to their own countries later on." Tsunade said as she still thought about how to broach the tender subject with the ones at fault for the Uchiha massacre. She was about to dismiss them when the idea hit her.

"Inoichi, Shikaku, I am in need of your assistance. Meet me at Haruno Sakura's apartment this evening at 7pm sharp. Tell no one. This is an S-rank subject." She ordered before dismissing them, feeling satisfied with her method of verifying the information.

She pulled out a piece of paper and scribbled a note on it before summoning a slug to take the message to her apprentice.

"Make sure Sakura gets this immediately." Tsunade ordered before the slug vanished from her desk. If she could verify what she was told while in the process gaining more witnesses, two of the most loyal Shinobi in the Hidden Leaf, she would have no problem with facing the elders. This just may work.

**_::_**

Sakura was pleasantly sleeping in her bed when the sound of a pop right next to her startled her out of her dream. She squeaked before noticing the small blue and white slug staring at her from her bedside table with a note attached.

"Lady Sakura, Lady Tsunade asked me to deliver a message. No reply is needed." She said before Sakura removed the paper and vanished. Sakura looked at it with a puzzled expression before opening it and reading.

_'Sakura, I will be arriving tonight with two of our top interrogators. Make sure both Uchiha's know so they do not attack._

_-Tsunade.'_

She sighed and began to wonder what she was going to do and if it would cause pain. She hated the interrogation division even though it was necessary.

She scooted off her bed and walked to her door, opening it and walking out into the hall. Without looking at his door, Sakura rapped on it loudly before walking out into the living room and sitting next to Itachi who was reading quietly. He looked at her with a questioning glance before hearing Sasuke step out of his room and walk towards them.

"I just got a note from Lady Hokage; she said she will be arriving tonight at 7pm with two interrogators. I don't know what her plans are but I am assuming they have something to do with the orders Itachi-san was given." Sakura said when Sasuke came into view, wasting no time in telling them. It was at the point where she no longer felt like sugar coating anything or delaying the inevitable.

She sensed Itachi tense slightly as she spoke but relaxed almost immediately. There was nothing any of them could do to prevent the interrogation when in fact it would end up helping them prove his innocence.

"What does that have to do with me?" Sasuke asked as he sat down in a chair close to Sakura, shooting a look at his brother.

"You will most likely be asked questions." She said slowly as she thought about all of the ways that the meeting tonight could go.

"Well we will just have to wait and see." Itachi said in a cool voice, sounding as if it didn't faze him in the least.

"Mhm. Nothing to do not but wait. We have four hours." Sakura added as she watched Sasuke stand up and walk silently back to his room as if this conversation was the most uninteresting thing in the world, which it just might have been.

Sakura and Itachi fell into a comfortable silence as they sat back into the couch and began their wait.

**_::_**

**_End Chapter 21_**

_The next chapter will come soon, it will be the interrogation so I hope it comes out well! Please review!_


	22. Chapter 22 - Interrogation

_Here is the interrogation chapter! I have been excited and hesitant to write this because I don't know how well it will turn out. I hope it's decent enough!_

**_Chapter 22- Interrogation_**

**_::_**

When Tsunade said she and the two interrogators would arrive promptly at 7pm, she wasn't lying. Sakura was sitting in her living room alone, waiting with her hands folded in her lap. She had told Itachi and Sasuke to wait in the bedrooms until she came to get them, which they surprisingly agreed to without much complaint.

They didn't use the door; instead they both appeared in her living room filling it with white smoke and leaves. Sakura figured that would probably happen so she didn't so much as flinch when they suddenly appeared before her.

"Hello Shishou, Mr. Yamanaka and Mr. Nara." Sakura said as she stood up, keeping a serious expression on her face. She knew Inoichi and Shikaku from the many visits she had paid to their homes with their children.

"Evening Sakura." Inoichi said while Shikaku nodded in her direction. Tsunade skipped the pleasantries and looked around the room.

"Alright, as for why you are here, I need your help to verify that the information I had learned a few days ago is correct. Inoichi, you will probe the subjects mind while Shikaku holds him still. Now, Sakura please escort our guest out here." Tsunade ordered as she walked to the side of the room, looking at the three. Sakura nodded before walking down the hall. She first rapped again on Sasuke's door before walking to her room and stepping inside, speaking quietly. Just before she walked out, Sasuke stepped out of his room, hands shoved in his pockets. He walked into the living room and plopped down in the chair he usually sat in as Sakura re-entered the living room with a tall man following close behind her.

At first Inoichi and Shikaku were puzzled at who he was until he came into the light. They both stared at him, eyes wide.

"Is that who I think it is?" Shikaku asked Tsunade, eyes not leaving the older Uchiha who quietly stood slightly behind Sakura. She looked back at Itachi and offered a reassuring smile before leading him closer and motioning for him to sit down on the couch in his normal spot. He complied without so much as a twitch in his facial muscles, Sakura taking a seat next to him.

"Yes, that is Uchiha Itachi and he is you're the one you will be probing." Her eyes shifted towards Itachi before she spoke again. "You will sit perfectly still and allow Inoichi probe your mind. Do not try to hide anything, he will know. Just for precautions, Shikaku will use his shadow possession jutsu on you, do not resist."

Sakura looked over at Itachi, noticing that he looked slightly nervous. He was not one to let anyone explore his mind and it looked like he was uncomfortable with the idea. She watched him nod once before closing his eyes and waiting for them to begin.

She felt pity for him, knowing he would be really uncomfortable with this and wondered what she could do to help ease his nerves. That was when a simple idea came to her mind and she decided to act on it, maybe it would help.

Sakura reached her hand over to Itachi's closest one and took it into her own, entwining her fingers with his. His eyes popped open as he looked down at their hands before looking at her where she flashed him another reassuring smile. At first the thought he would reject it but he responded by squeezing her hand slightly as a thanks. She allowed her cheeks to flush as she looked up at the questioning glances of Tsunade and the interrogators. Her response was a soft shrug as she looked off into another direction, keeping her hand in Itachi's.

She felt him tense suddenly as Shikaku initiated his jutsu, taking control over Itachi's body. Sakura looked at him and noticed that he clearly looked unhappy as Inoichi stepped forward and did hand signs before beginning the probe.

When the mind probe began, Sakura looked away again, gazing at the other two people in the room. Tsunade watched on intently, her eyes never leaving Inoichi and Itachi while Sasuke surprisingly was looking between her hand entwined with his brothers and her face. When she watched him for a moment, she caught his eyes, noticing he didn't look pleased in the slightest. She just stared at him, surprisingly not concerned in the slightest by his disapproval although his eyes promised she would hear all about it later on. She made a mental note to avoid him at all costs.

The room remained silent as the time ticked on, then tension thick enough to cut with a kunai. After staring at Sakura for the first 45 minutes, Sasuke finally turned away in defeat when he realized no amount of glaring and mental curses would make Sakura let go of Itachi's hand so he became fascinated with something in the other direction.

Tsunade finally broke her eyes away from Inoichi and began to pace around the room impatiently as the mind probe dragged on. It shouldn't have lasted this long for the simple task of verifying the information but then it came to her that he probably had a good chance to learn as much as he could about the Akatsuki, which was a plus if he was in fact doing so.

Sakura glanced at Itachi every now and then noting his stressed expressions as certain memories were viewed. There was one point when she pretty much guessed that the memory of slaughtering his clan was being examined. The look on Itachi's face made her heart tug in her chest as she had to retrain herself from throwing her arms around him. He looked genuinely pained by it but the only thing she could do was she gave his had a light squeeze, letting him know she was still there. He didn't return it though since the shadow possession wouldn't allow for it but she caught Shikaku glancing at her making her wonder if she felt the tiny show of sympathy for the S-class criminal.

Finally as the clock ticked close to the hour mark when Inoichi finally spoke, breaking his probing jutsu.

"Tsunade-sama, I don't know what he told you or what you have been told after becoming Hokage but his memories show that the clan massacre was an order from Danzo, the elders and the third Hokage. This will shake up everything we have ever thought about the Uchiha as well as the village leaders." He spoke slowly as he stood up and stretched his sore muscles.

"Well then, this is exactly what I wanted to verify. We will confront the elders as soon as I come up with a plan. Not a word of this leaves this room, this could destroy the village." Tsunade ordered as she leaned on the back of the couch close to Sakura, eyes locked on the two older Shinobi. They nodded their understanding before she dismissed them. "Sakura, be ready for my summoning." She stated before vanishing in her own cloud of smoke, not waiting for any other replies.

The remaining three sat in absolute silence before Sasuke stood up, shooting a glare at the two on the couch before disappearing into his room, slamming the door rather exaggeratedly.

Sakura noticed that she was still holding Itachi's hand but wasn't in a hurry to release it. She looked up at his face and saw that his eyes were still closed and he looked exhausted. With a quiet sigh, she stood up and pulled onto his hand, coaxing him to stand as well but he remained seated. She looked at him questioningly but he didn't see it, his head was now lowered and she knew he was reliving those memories again.

Looking down at their entwined hands, she could feel him tightening his grip enough to turn her fingers slightly red. Chewing on her lower lip as a feeling of uncertainty washed through her, she knelt down in front of him, reaching her free hand up, cupping his cheek softly, lifting his head up enough so she could see his face. His brows were furrowed as if he was having an internal battle with himself while his lips quivered ever so slightly.

"Itachi-san?" She spoke barely above a whisper, trying to draw his attention to her and away from the memories that were flooding his mind. She watched as he opened his eyes slowly, looking at her concerned face. She noticed he tried to give her a smile but it came out distorted causing her heart to tug again. She hated to see him looking so helpless. She began to trace small delicate circles on his cheek with her thumb as she tried to find something comforting to say but came up with nothing.

"Come on, you look like you need to lie down…" She whispered to him after a few minutes of just looking at him. She wasn't sure if she was doing the right thing by so openly trying to comfort him but he didn't object so she took it as a cue to continue. He didn't speak but nodded once that he would allow her to do just that so she softly slid her hand down from his cheek, training down his arm until her hand was in his others before she stood up and pulled him to his feet. He didn't fight her though when she tried to let go of both his hands, he refused to let go of the one he had been clinging to during the whole ordeal.

She didn't question it as she led him out of the living room and into the hall, heading towards her room. When she pushed the door open, she led him over to his bed next to hers but he refused to lie down, causing her to chew on her lower lip again. She half wondered if she should call for Sasuke to help but decided against it almost immediately. With a soft sigh, she led him to her bed figuring it would be easier to coax him down.

With her free hand she directed him to sit down which he easily complied with so she pushed lightly on his shoulder, indicating to lie down. She was surprised that he did without much complaint as she watched him get comfortable, his head resting in the middle of her pillows. Once she was sure that he was situated, she began to walk away but his grip on her hand refused to let go. She turned around and looked at him, is obsidian eyes almost pleading with her not to leave. She frowned slightly before walking back to him and sitting by his side.

"Itachi-san, I need to go lock up and turn the lights off. I promise I will come right back." She spoke softly as she cupped his cheek again, feeling him nuzzle into her hand. He didn't reply but hesitantly released her, watching as she exited the room.

The doors were always locked but she checked again before turning off the lights and walking back to her room. She paused outside of Sasuke's door and listened but didn't hear anything so she figured he had gone to bed as well so she walked to her room and stepped in, shutting the door behind her and locking it. Her eyes had adjusted to the dark enough so she could see Itachi's form on her bed in the exact same spot she had left him in, though she couldn't tell if he was awake still of if he had fallen asleep.

She quietly stepped over to his bed and began to lie down when his voice startled her.

"Sakura-san, please come here." His tone sounded hurried, almost desperate and pleading, making her look in his direction to see if he was alright. She saw him stretch his hand out towards her which she took gently into hers as she cleared the distance between them.

She wasn't exactly tired so she sat down on the bed next to him, propping a pillow up against the headboard and leaning against it. She felt him release her hand just before his arms slid around her waist and his head moved so that it was now resting on her chest. This position took her off guard but it didn't feel awkward which she would normally have thought. Instead, she responded by letting her arm that his shoulder was resting against curl around him in a protective manor while her other free hand found his arm that was over her waist. She softly rubbed his muscled upper arm in what she hoped to be a comforting way and when she felt him relax against her, she knew she was doing it right.

No words were spoken as she held him close to her, trying as hard as she could to comfort the distraught man whom she had feared and loathed for what he had done to Sasuke. What a turn in events, instead of comforting Sasuke and obsessing over him, she was across the hall from him with his older brother in her arms. The thought nearly caused her to laugh but she managed to contain it, knowing it was not a good time to find something humorous.

As the night drew on, she listened as his breathing evened out, indicating that he had finally fallen

asleep. She smiled to herself as she allowed herself to look at his face, taking in how soft his features were when he was sleeping.

_'He really is attractive when he's like this.' _She mused to herself as she slid her hand up his arm carefully, brushing his hair away from his face gently with her fingers. It never occurred to her that he was lying on the same chest that his brother had seen earlier that day by accident but when she thought about it, a blush crept into her face.

**_'You like Uchiha Itachi!' _**Inner decided to add her two cents, causing Sakura to groan inwardly as she mentally face palmed herself.

_'No I don't, I just feel so bad for him… that's all.' _She snapped at Inner, not wanting to have this discussion.

**_'You just said he is attractive! Don't even try to lie to yourself, you like him and you want him!' _**Inner chided as she pointed a finger at Sakura.

_'Ok, so what if I do? He's probably just like Sasuke and doesn't want a thing to do with me in that sort of way!' _Sakura reasoned as she continued to watch the sleeping Uchiha.

**_'Oh please, Sasuke never once acted like this! He refused us at every chance and only recently tried to push for something else. Itachi was right, Sasuke wants to claim us. Whereas Mr. Handsome lying there on our boobs has never acted possessive over us and he enjoys our company. You need to pay attention more!' _**Inner ranted as she stomped around in Sakura's head, causing her to wince at the sheer volume echoing in her mind. She really didn't want to think about this so she forcefully pushed her away and re-focused on Itachi. He hadn't moved at all, only occasionally tightening his grip on her as if she might disappear if he let go.

She smiled again to herself as she snuggled down into the bed even more as she tried not to disturb him. When she was comfortable, her face was a little closer to his as his head rested on her shoulder, his nose and mouth close to her neck. She could feel his breath tickling her neck and had to stifle the shiver that ran down her spine.

Sakura looked over at the clock on the bedside table and noticed that she had been sitting quietly with Itachi in her arms for the last three hours, thinking about nothing in particular and watching him. It felt nice to spend this time with him even if the circumstances weren't the best.

As she looked back at him, she noticed that his eyes were now open and he was looking at her, his face expressionless as not to betray what he was thinking. She looked at him and offered a soft smile before sliding her free arm around him, tightening her embrace on him. He responded by nuzzling his face into her neck, breathing in her scent. She had to contain another blush that rushed to her face, pressing her cheek against the top of his head.

The silence continued for a few more minutes, neither one feeling the need to break the intensity of the comfort they found in each other.

"Thank you…" Sakura stilled momentarily, wondering if she had really just heard what she did. His voice was so quiet that if the room hadn't been absolutely silent, she wouldn't have caught it. She smiled after a moment and pulled her cheek away from his hair, looking at him. He felt her movement and pulled away from her neck, locking his eyes with hers, his chin still in contact with her shoulder.

Sakura moved forward slowly before pressing her lips as softly as she could to his forehead before murmuring her response.

"You don't have to thank me, Itachi-san. I couldn't let you suffer alone." She whispered back to him, her lips brushing against his skin with every word. She had no idea what possessed her to show such a sign of affection but at this point she didn't feel the need to hold back. She was just too comfortable and content with him.

He didn't say anything else as he leaned into her, the brushing of her lips against his forehead causing something to stir within that he wasn't ready to end just yet. He had never allowed himself to become close with anyone since he was ordered to slaughter his family and right now being in Sakura's arms felt right. All too quickly he felt her lips draw away from him and he leaned further forward searching for them.

Sakura felt him leaning into her as she pressed another soothing kiss to his forehead before drawing back, not missing how he tried to follow her. She allowed herself to smile again as she moved her hand along his arm, up towards his shoulder until she found his cheek, cupping it how she had done after Tsunade had left.

She brushed her thumb against his cheek as she coaxed him to look at her, which he complied with easily. She looked into his eyes, catching a hint of longing in them mixed with something else she couldn't figure out. Her emerald eyes narrowed slightly as she moved her hand softly down towards the back of his neck, her fingers tangling into his hair as she pulled him closer to her, the distance between their noses shrinking until they touched. Her lips hovered just above his as her eyes never left his, waiting for his response. In that moment she so desperately wanted to kiss him but she wanted him to make the final move. It didn't take long before he got the hint and touched his lips to hers, causing a jolt to run through her body. At first it was soft and delicate, as if any sort of pressure would break one of them but after a moment, Sakura pressed hers more firmly into his, her hand moving further into his hair, grasping it. She felt his arms tighten around her, his fingertips pressing into her back.

She felt his lips part slightly before his warm tongue licked enticingly at her lower lip, asking for enterance. She willingly parted her lips and shivered as his tongue invaded her mouth, searching for her own. She flicked hers against his, starting the battle for dominance which he quickly won, not that she complained.

Before she knew it, Itachi had her flipped onto her back, him hovering over her slightly as their kiss intensified greatly. Sakura could feel herself heating up as she felt his chest just barely brushing against hers, propping himself up on his elbows and knees as his arms rested on either side of her head. He was straddling one of her legs with the leg between hers resting dangerously close to her now tingling area. She slid her arms around his waist, her hands fiddling with the hem of his shirt just before she allowed her hands to slip inside, touching his back directly. He was warm under her hands, his skin smooth, almost perfect in a way. As she ran her hands up and down his sides underneath his shirt, she felt his lips leave hers, making her ache for more as he trailed his lips down her jaw towards her neck. She let out a soft moan as she felt his teeth against her collarbone where he bit down gently, his tongue licking at her flesh. She chewed on her lower lip as she rolled her head back, her breathing becoming slightly heavier from the new rush of heat that he had caused.

All too quickly he pulled away and removed himself from the provocative position he was just in and sat a few feet away from her on the bed, hair mussed from her exploring hand, chest heaving from the intensity between them.

Sakura sat up wondering if she did something wrong, only to catch the torn, guilty look on his face. She instantly tensed; concerned that he hated himself for what had just happened between them. She leaned slightly forward, her hand reaching tentatively out towards him before she let it drop to the bed as he looked away from her. It remained quiet between them, Sakura doing everything she could to control the sudden feeling that she was going to cry.

"Sakura-san… I'm sorry; I don't know what came over me." Itachi finally spoke as he looked towards the door, wondering silently if he should leave the room. He missed the look Sakura shot him before she spoke.

"Don't apologize, Itachi-san, I wanted it to happen… I'm the one who's sorry for making you do something you obviously didn't want…" She let her voice trail off as she turned her body away from his, letting the feeling of shame wash over her. What was wrong with her for going after yet another Uchiha who clearly didn't see her in that sort of way?

She was now turned towards the door as well, legs hanging off the bed as she clutched a pillow to her chest, her cheek resting against it so that she would be looking at the wall if her eyes were open. She felt the bed shift as Itachi stood up, hearing him walk around it and heading towards the door. Her heart tugged as she became aware that he was leaving, trying desperately to force the tears back that were threatening to spill out, at least until he left but she didn't want him to leave.

She heard the lock click in the knob before the door opened and closed quickly. She didn't need to look up to know that she was now alone in her room. With a quiet sob, she collapsed back onto her bed and curled up into the fetal position, still clutching the pillow to her chest that still had a lingering scent of Itachi.

That night she fell asleep after silently crying over the confusion and need she had for him that she knew he would never return. He was an Uchiha after all, why would he want someone like her?

**_::_**

Itachi walked out into the living room, feeling the strange mixture of uncertainty and longing. He had never felt this before and it made him nervous that the pink haired woman had gotten him to express his emotions so freely, a feat that no other could claim.

He shuffled over to the couch and sat down in his usual spot, propping his elbow up on the arm and resting his face in his palm as his thoughts drifted to what had just happened between him and the Kunoichi.

He heard a door and open from the hallway but he didn't turn around to see who it was, assuming it was Sakura. When a firm hand landed on his shoulder from behind, he looked up slowly and saw Sasuke glaring down at him.

"If you hurt her I promise I will end your life. I made the biggest mistake of my life by ignoring her love and by the time I realized that I wanted her, it was too late. She likes you, Itachi. If you hurt her as bad as I did, not only are you an even bigger asshole then I already think you are, I will never let you come near her ever again. I swore to her I would never let her get hurt again and I intend on keeping that promise." Sasuke threatened him as he stared into his brothers eyes. The hand on his shoulder tightened in an almost painful way before he let go and walked back to his room. Before he vanished inside, he turned around and said one last thing. "If you do not make this right, I will." He pointed towards Sakura's door where he knew she was crying. He had known her long enough to know that even when she was silent, the shift in her chakra told him she was upset.

Itachi sat motionless for a few minutes, absorbing Sasuke's words. He had never heard his brother speak in such a protective way over anyone before and the intense severity of his tone was enough to snap him to attention. Of course Sasuke would know Sakura a lot better then he would since they used to be on a Genin team together and were now on a Jounin team.

Maybe Sasuke was right, he hadn't been aware of how Sakura had been looking at him and easily joked with him until he thought about it. His inexperience with the opposite sex was a known fact, at least to himself but he knew that, but now he had probably ruined any chance at getting closer to her. With a soft sigh, he settled into the couch, unaware of Sasuke pacing back and forth in his room, waiting for Itachi to go back to Sakura and the fact that Itachi hadn't moved from the couch made him angrier.

Itachi dozed off on the couch after a few minutes, resolving himself to talking to Sakura in the morning when he had a clearer head. He didn't hear Sasuke leave his room again and cross the hall, entering Sakura's.

**_::_**

Sakura distantly felt someone shaking her out of sleep, her eyes feeling too heavy to open. At first she couldn't remember why she felt like she had been emotionally drained until she remembered crying herself to sleep after what had happened between her and Itachi.

She wondered if it was Itachi who was trying to wake her but something deep down told her it wasn't after the offender spoke close to her ear.

"Sakura, wake up." She groaned as she finally recognized who it was, willing herself to sit up and rub her eyes so she could open them. After a moment she focused on Sasuke who was kneeling on the floor close to her.

"What do you want, Sasuke?" She asked in a dull tone, not wanting to deal with his crap right now. She knew that he must have heard them and was going to use this as a chance to state his disapproval.

"I know something is wrong and I want you to tell me." He said firmly as he stood up and sat down next to her, locking his onyx eyes with hers. She chewed on her lower lip debating whether or not she should say anything but in the end she knew he wouldn't leave until he got his answers.

"Long story short, Itachi-san and I ended up right here in bed together. I was trying to comfort him the best I could after the interrogation but something happened between us and we kissed. That's when he nearly flipped out and left the room. I don't know what came over me, it was a moment of weakness and now I feel like crap cause I somehow end up only attracted to you damn Uchiha's!" Sakura explained, her tone getting angrier as she neared the end, shooting a glare at Sasuke. She ignored the pained look he gave her before he stood up and picked her up bridal style. Sakura began to protest but when he stared down at her, she gave up knowing it was a losing battle.

"You and I need to have a talk but for now you shouldn't be alone. You will stay with me." He stated as he carried her from her room and into his, lying her down on his bed. She sighed heavily as she watched him walk back to the door and close it, locking it behind him before he came back to her and laid down next to her, forcefully pulling her into his strong embrace. She hesitantly rested her head against his chest and closed her eyes, not ignoring that she felt secure with Sasuke at this moment. Things had gone so wrong between her and Itachi earlier and she was actually thankful that she didn't have to be alone.

She let sleep take over again as she listened to Sasuke's steady breathing and the distant sound of his heart beating in his chest. She would have to talk to Itachi tomorrow even though it promised to be awkward. Regardless if he liked her or not, they had to be able to move on from that, at least while he was still living with her. Once both Uchiha's were gone, she could go back to spending her time alone, going on missions and tending to her patients at the hospital while closing off her heart as she once was doing. If Sasuke never came back and Itachi didn't kidnap her, her life would be so much simpler right now. Damn Uchiha's and their abilities to mess things up!

**_::_**

**_End Chapter 22_**

_I hope this was exciting enough for you all, I spent quite a few hours tonight writing this and I am rather proud of it. Review and let me know what you think!_


	23. Chapter 23 - Confessions

**_Chapter 23 – Confessions_**

**_::_**

It was early in the morning when Itachi awoke, feeling the kink in his neck beginning to form from the awkward position he had been in while he slept. He sat up and looked around the room, realizing it was barely dawn.

He stood up and decided he would go and check on Sakura to see if she was alright and try to work things out with her. After having all night to let his thoughts sort themselves out and he realized that what had happened between them last night was not a mistake and if Tsunade came through for him and he was allowed to be a citizen of Konoha again, he wanted to spend his time with her.

When he got to the room, he was surprised to find the door sitting open when he was sure that it was shut when he left last night. That was when Sasuke's words popped into his head and he stepped into the room, only to be greeted by emptiness. She wasn't there. He turned around and looked towards Sasuke's room, knowing that he must have been serious enough last night. She was probably in there with him at this very moment.

The thought of Sasuke and Sakura alone together caused his stomach to lurch as his own words from the previous day ran through his head. He had told Sakura he wouldn't leave her alone with Sasuke and he wasn't able to keep that promise. Either she was upset enough with him to willingly hide in Sasuke's room or he had taken her in the middle of the night.

Every part of him wanted to pound on that door and demand to see Sakura but he knew that wouldn't do much good. She had to come out at some point and he would wait for her. He needed to make things right after leaving her upset.

**_::_**

Sakura wasn't sure what time in the morning it was when she finally woke up but she was surprised to find herself in Sasuke's room. She sat up and rubbed her head, feeling like she was in the beginning stages of a headache but she couldn't go too far when she felt Sasuke's arms around her, holding her in the familiar vice like grip. She groaned as she tried to peel his arms off of her, cursing herself for allowing him to so easily bring her in here.

"Sasuke." She reached over and started shaking him, trying to wake him so she could tell him to let her go. He grumbled and tightened his grip, eliciting a squeak from her. In return, she punched him rather roughly in his shoulder, making him snap his eyes wide open.

"Damn Sakura, don't hit so hard." He growled out as he released her and rubbed his arm, glaring at her. She merely rolled her eyes as she got up from the bed and walked to the door, wanting to be in her own bed in her own room.

"Where are you going?" Sasuke asked as he got up from the bed as well, crossing the room until he stood in front of the pink haired woman, blocking her path to the door.

"I am going to my room, I need to shower and I'd like to have fresh clothes when I get out." She crossed her arms over her chest, setting her jaw firmly. Why did he feel the need to bother her at this moment?

"I told you last night that we needed to talk this morning. Go sit down." Sasuke ordered her, pointing towards his bed. Sakura scoffed at him before pushing past him. The last thing she wanted was a lecture from her forced roommate.

"I am really not in the mood for that right now, Sasuke. Get out of my way." She snapped at him as she grabbed the door knob and twisted. Before she could pull the door open, he leaned his body against the door, forcing it to stay closed as he grabbed her wrist, pulling her hand away from the knob.

"I said go sit down." His Sharingan flashed at her, causing her eye to twitch. That little intimidation tactic would not work on her. After spending quite a few days and hours staring into Itachi's more menacing eyes, they had lost their effect on her, which Sasuke seemed to notice.

"I don't have the patience. Say what you want to say then get out of my way." Sakura growled lowly at him as she spoke, her hands fisting at her sides, knuckles turning white from her irritation.

Sasuke just stared at her, battling internally if he should just let her leave or try and force her to listen to reason. If he let her go, he might never get the chance to talk to her again like this but if he didn't and he tried to make her forget about his brother, she could end up hating him in the end. With a slight sigh, he decided to try and change her mind and stop this ridiculous attraction.

"Sakura, my brother is not one to take lightly. He has killed for no reason while being with the Akatsuki. He is a cruel man and deserves punishment. If you let yourself get more attached to him then you already are, how are you going to handle the inevitable? There is little hope that Tsunade-sama will come through for him, or even want to. There is a strong possibility that he will get locked up for life if not executed. No matter what the reason was for the Uchiha slaughter, he still was an S-Class criminal. He is an enemy and you are risking your own life by not keeping that in the forefront of your mind." Sasuke moved so that he was now leaning back against the door, arms crossed over his chest as he spoke. Sakura just stood there, looking at the floor as she let his words sink in. She knew deep down he was right but she still couldn't help how much she had come to like the older Uchiha.

"You are better off turning your affections towards someone else. Someone you know and trust, and who is not a wanted criminal." Sakura didn't miss the implications in his statement. She looked up and saw the smirk on his lips, realizing that he was talking about himself.

"You ass, I am not going to fall for you again! No matter how sweet you were those two nights on the mission or anything else since then, I refuse to let you back into my life as anything more than a teammate. Now that you have said what you wanted to say, get out of my way." She shot him a deathly glare before trying to pry him away from the door. He willingly let her move him away, turning around to watch her. There really was no getting through to her. "Oh, and one more thing. Who I choose to like is my business and my business alone. It is not up to you or anyone else. If I choose to like Itachi-san, than that's my problem. Not yours!" She spat at him before walking through the door, closing it behind her with a loud echoing bang. As soon as the door was closed she released a long sigh before turning to her room but before she could enter, she felt a hand fall onto her elbow. Looking up, she saw Itachi standing close to her with an unreadable expression in his eyes.

"Yes, Itachi-san?" Sakura asked in a forced civil tone, the memories from the night before flashing through her mind. The last thing she wanted was to show weakness in front of this man, he was her doctor after all. If she needed to keep her professional demeanor for the rest of this mission, she would.

"I think we need to talk about last night." He said slowly, his hand not removing from her elbow as he tried to direct her into her room. When she noticed this, she pulled away from him and straightened her clothes before raising her eyes to look into his again.

"I can walk by myself, thank you very much. As for talking, there is nothing to discuss. Nothing happened, let's just drop it." Her voice was cold as she stared him down, her arms straight at her side. Everything Sasuke had just said to her and what she had said in return vanished from her mind. As she looked into the eyes of the second Uchiha to reject her, her inner feeling of not being good enough resurfaced, but she managed to keep it at bay.

"Aa. The way you are acting is telling me otherwise." He placed his hand in the small of her back and forcefully pushed her into her room, ignoring her protests. When they were both inside, he shut the door behind them and locked the door before stepping closer to the pinkette who watched with suspicious eyes.

"Well then speak, I don't have all day." Sakura said in an almost bored tone as she turned away from him, on a quest to find a clean outfit to wear after she finally got her shower.

"Sakura-san, please turn around and listen to me." Itachi spoke from close behind her. She didn't even hear him move but yet he was standing right behind her. With an inward sigh, she stopped her search and turned around, looking at the man in his obsidian eyes.

"Ok, I give. What?" She asked as she lightly crossed her arms over her chest. Itachi didn't say anything as they just looked at each other, making Sakura feel slightly uncomfortable with the silence.

"You are upset with me." It wasn't a question, more of a plain statement. Sakura let out a long quiet sigh before averting her eyes.

"No, I am more upset with myself. What happened last night was purely my fault and I am sorry. I don't want to put our medic/patient relationship in jeopardy." She spoke in a low voice, eyes trained on a spot on her floor.

"I didn't resist, Sakura-san. I am half to blame as well." He said after a moment of thought. She could feel his eyes on her which only made her more hesitant to meet his gaze.

"I remember you resisting then running from the room…" There was a hint of a smirk in her tone as she played with the hem of her shirt, remembering the night before.

"I left because it wasn't the right time for such affection, not because I wasn't interested." His voice was almost a velvety purr as he touched Sakura's cheek gently as he turned her to face him, eyes still averted elsewhere. "Sakura-san, please look at me." He watched her with such intensity as she slowly turned her emerald hued eyes to look into his own obsidian.

"What do you mean by it wasn't the right time?" She finally asked, not finding anything else to say at that moment. She noticed the slight smirk appear on Itachi's lips before he spoke softly.

"Last night was a rather emotional one for me. Since I left Konoha and became part of Akatsuki I locked away everything that I once used to feel. When my mind was probed, those emotions were brought back to the surface and when you and I became close, I wasn't sure if what I was feeling was genuine or just a side effect. I left because if it wasn't a genuine feeling then I didn't want to lead you on and in the process, hurt you like my foolish little brother had done." That was one of the rare times when she had heard so much come out of Itachi's mouth. As he spoke she kept her eyes locked with his, letting his words play through her mind. When he was finished, she was almost afraid of the question that she knew she had to ask. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes for a moment before asking.

"Now that you are in a clearer state of mind, was it just a side effect?" She looked back at him, anticipating him to confirm that it was just an emotional overflow and that he in fact felt nothing for her. She couldn't help but feel a little disappointed that she was, once again, delving too far into something she could never attain.

Itachi remained silent for a little while as he watched the emotions that Sakura was feeling reflect on her face. He could tell she was going through emotional hell at that moment as her eyes became distant, a sign that she was deep in thought.

"Sakura-san." She heard his voice fill the silence as he called her name, snapping her out of her revere. Focusing her eyes back onto his, she offered a ghost of a smile to him, letting him know she was paying attention.

"I feel as I did last night." He said simply, leaving her in her confused state. That really didn't answer her question, and she felt slightly irritated by it.

"Meaning?" She asked after a moment when he offered nothing else. She as he smirked again before moving his hand away from her cheek. She had forgotten that he had never moved it, but as she thought back, she could still feel the warmth of his hand and where his thumb had been tracing small circles just below her eye.

"Meaning that what I felt last night was not a side effect of the probe. I believe it was genuine, Sakura-san. I liked the closeness you offered, I didn't even know I needed it until you so willingly gave that to me." His words didn't make sense to her at first until she let them replay through her mind. She looked at him with questioning eyes as he moved closer to her, slipping his arms around her and pulled her into a tight embrace before whispering more into her ear. "I never imagined that I would feel this comfortable in all forms around a woman. When I left the village, I knew that this was not an option for me. Kidnapping you was one of the better choices I made in life."

Sakura felt the heat rise in her face as she slowly slid her arms around his waist, her cheek pressed against his shoulder, face pressed into the crook of his neck. She closed her eyes as she tried to think of something to say but couldn't find anything. She just remained silent as she inhaled his scent, a mixture between an unidentified sugary sweet and weapon oil that was used to keep them clean.

She wasn't sure exactly what she was feeling about this man who she was now pressed against but there was a stirring deep within herself that she didn't remember ever feeling for Sasuke. She had loved the younger Uchiha for so long but she felt different when she was with his brother. All she knew was that at that moment, standing in the embrace of Itachi, she wanted it to last forever.

As she remained comfortably in Itachi's arms, a serious question came to mind, one that she knew needed to be thought about.

"Itachi-san, what are you going to do if Tsunade can't secure your freedom?" She hated herself for having to ask that and kill the mood that had been created between them. She felt him tense slightly before holding her a little tighter before he spoke.

"I will need to leave Konoha. If I remain, I will more than likely be out to death for my crimes. I was reluctant to come here in the first place but now that my eyes have been restored and you are working on curing my illness, I will be able to survive on the run." He spoke slowly as he thought about his options. Now that Sasuke knew the truth he had no reason to wait around for his brother to eventually kill him.

"You can't! Not now, I've grown closer to you than anyone else, I can't watch you leave like when Sasuke left!" Sakura felt herself begin to panic at the thought of losing another person in her life. Deep down she knew that she really couldn't stop him from leaving; the only option would be for her Shishou to succeed and forgive Itachi for his wrongs.

"If I have no other option than I will have to leave." He felt her shaking in his arms as the memory of Sasuke turning his back on her and Naruto played through his mind. There was a good chance that Tsunade would indeed come through for them and he wouldn't be placed in the situation of needing to run. "Let's not think on it for now, we still have time."

"If Tsunade-Shishou does secure your freedom, what are you going to do?" She wanted to change the subject but not entirely, she had been thinking about this question for a while and wanted to know if he had thought about it. He chuckled lightly at her curiousness of his future plans before directing them over to the bed, motioning for her to sit down. He sat beside her and slid his arm around her waist, pulling her close to him before answering.

"Well, depending on the terms of my freedom, I may re-join the Leaf ranks. I'll have to find a place to live since it wouldn't be suitable for me to remain here once the village knows I have returned." He leaned away from Sakura enough to look at her, allowing another smirk to play at his lips.

"What will you and Sasuke do about the Uchiha compound?" Sakura asked cautiously, knowing that the subject was probably a tough thing to talk about.

Itachi didn't answer right away as he contemplated her question. He hadn't really thought about his clan's compound in years, even after returning to Konoha. He knew it would be difficult to return to his old home, but it would probably be something he would have to do at some point.

"I have no immediate intentions of returning to the compound and I cannot speak for Sasuke, but in time, we may eventually return and decide what to do with it." He answered in an almost cryptic way, avoiding any direct reasons for his choice. Sakura just watched him, choosing to remain silent at this point. There was only so much she could ask before even she would get on the older Uchiha's nerves.

They fell into another comfortable silence as they both just existed together in the moment, both deep in their own thoughts. Only time would tell if Itachi would be able to live in peace within the walls of Konoha or be sentenced to death. Neither of them wanted to think about the worst happening but if Tsunade wasn't completely convinced enough to save him or just couldn't, they had no hope.

**_::_**

**_End Chapter 23_**

_I wanted to continue on longer but I pretty much had nothing else after that point so the chapter ended up being shorter then I would have liked. I hope you all enjoyed it, I am trying to put more fluffiness into it :3 Review~_


	24. Chapter 24 - Truths and Declarations

_Hey guys, so thank you to everyone who has reviewed and marked this as their favorites so far! I love the feedback I am getting on this story, I wasn't sure how well anyone would like it but the turnout has been great! So in this chapter I am bringing Jiraiya back. He is one of my fave characters from Naruto and I cried when he was killed, so I decided to make him alive again :3 Enjoy~_

**_Chapter 24 – Truths and Declarations _**

**_::_**

**_~Tsunade's Office~_**

"I don't know what to do, Shizune. Yamanaka was able to verify the memories in Uchiha's head and I proved the authentication of the mission scroll. I sent an urgent message to Jiraiya earlier this morning with Katsuyu, asking him to return immediately. If he can verify that Uchiha had in fact been sending him information on Akatsuki's movements and plans, than it would be easier to integrate him back into Konoha." The fifth Hokage leaned back in her chair, hands covering her eyes in an exasperated manor as she once again went over her plans with her assistant.

"M'lady, shouldn't you concentrate on how we will face the elders and Danzo? Since it is proven that they are to blame for the massacre they need to be held responsible." Shizune was pacing slowly in front of Tsunade's desk, Tonton held firmly to her chest.

"I will wait for Jiraiya to arrive before I even start to think about that train wreck. With Jir-…" Tsunade was interrupted by her office door flying open. She snapped her head up at the offender noticing that a very agitated Naruto was glaring at her.

"Alright what have you done with Sakura-chan and Sasuke? I have looked everywhere!" He was shouting as he spoke, stomping into her office. She growled before standing up and leaning forward on her desk, honey eyes narrowing.

"That is none of your business, Uzumaki! And how many times do I have to tell you to KNOCK FIRST!" Naruto stomped up to her desk, narrowing the space between him as he mimicked her glare.

"They are my team and I want to know where they are!" He said in a slightly lower tone but it was still loud nonetheless. Tsunade let out a long sigh as she sat back down, looking towards Shizune.

"Please shut the door, Shizune." She said before entwining her fingers together and propping her elbows on her desk. She looked back at the blond Shinobi standing before her and took a deep breath.

"Sakura and Sasuke have gotten involved in something rather dangerous. They are still in the village but have been ordered by me personally to stay inside no matter what. Something has happened and it can either destroy this village or help it, it all depends on how we choose to handle it. You are right, they are your team and since it won't be a secret much longer, you should find out now." She spoke cryptically as she locked her eyes with Naruto's, watching as his anger subsided only to be replaced with confusion.

"But what is _it_?" He asked, his blue eyes widening as his mind reeled with possibilities.

"That I will let Sakura and Sasuke explain to you." She replied as she opened a drawer in her desk, retrieving a blank scroll. She wrote something quickly on it before folding it back up and placing her Hokage's seal on it and handing it to him. "Give this to Sakura. It is orders for her to tell you what she knows but keep in mind; this is S-rank information. Absolutely nobody is to be told about this." She stated, watching Naruto nod enthusiastically before running from her office, heading towards Sakura's.

"What are the consequences of what I have just done?" Tsunade asked out loud, looking at Shizune who just shook her head slightly.

**_::_**

**_~Sakura's Apartment~_**

Sakura and Itachi were sitting on the couch in the usual way that had become normal. Itachi on one side, turned to face Sakura while she sat on the other, facing him. They had just finished the healing session for the day and were taking the opportunity to just talk. Sasuke had chosen to remain in his room as much as possible, probably sulking; at least that's what Sakura imagined.

"What do you think Sasuke is doing in there all day by himself?" Sakura asked out loud, her curiosity getting the better of her. She looked down the hall towards his door and sighed slightly. Sure, she felt a little guilty for the way she had treated him that morning but he was crossing boundaries. At the sound of chuckling, she turned back to Itachi and smiled. Before she brought him to Konoha, she never would have believed that he would have humor.

"If I know my brother well, I'd say he is sharpening his weapons and plotting revenge against something." He replied after a few moments, looking towards Sasuke's door like Sakura had done.

"He's probably going to take revenge on the shower for the water being too cold or something." Sakura muttered more to herself than anything else. She heard her company chuckle again before a loud banging came at her front door.

She jumped up out of surprise, putting herself between the door and Itachi. He looked at her before looking towards the door and standing. Sakura turned to look at him before speaking in a quiet tone, just loud enough for him to hear.

"Tsunade said to not let anyone in. Just in case whoever is out there tries to break in, go lock yourself in the room." She watched as Itachi nodded once before vanishing down the hall, shutting her bedroom door as quietly as possible before walking to the front door and looking for a chakra signature. When she found it to be a very familiar one she breathed a sigh of relief.

"I can't come out right now, Naruto. I'm… sick… contagious, really nasty stuff!" She lied as she spoke through the door.

"Aww come on Sakura-chan open up! I have something important to give you!" He whined in the usual way he would when Sakura wouldn't let him in her home.

"Important? Is it from Shishou?" She asked slowly, wondering if Tsunade would actually send Naruto with important news.

"Yes it is, now let me in!" He pressed. Sakura sighed and placed her palm on her face before tentatively unlocking the door and opening it, Naruto coming into sight. He grinned widely at her as he stepped into the apartment, Sakura quickly locking the door behind him.

"Where's Teme?" He asked as he looked around the vacant living room. It was dark in there; he was not used to all of the curtains being drawn closed. She must have been hiding from something dangerous indeed.

"He's sulking in his room. What do you have for me?" Sakura asked as she walked away from the door, perching herself on the armrest of the couch. Naruto looked at her as if remembering why he was there in the first place.

"Oh! Yea Grandma- Tsunade wanted me to give this to you." He dug in his pocket and brought out a small scroll, handing it over to Sakura. She recognized the Hokage seal before opening and reading it.

_'Sakura-_

_I have sent Uzumaki over to you. You and the Uchiha brat are to explain everything to him. If things go the way I plan, you will need him on your side before the rest of Konoha finds out._

_-Tsunade.'_

Sakura took a deep breath before rolling the scroll up and looking at Naruto. He was grinning still, clearly excited about learning her secret.

"Wait here." She said before walking down the hall and knocking on Sasuke's door. He opened it, narrowing his eyes at her. She rolled hers as she handed the scroll to him. She waited as he read it, watching the annoyance flicker across his face.

"Hn." He said simply before handing the scroll back to her and walking out into the hall then towards his usual chair in the living room, crossing his arms as he sat. He ignored Naruto's greeting, closing his eyes.

Sakura looked at them for a few moments before crossing to her own room, vanishing inside. Naruto sat down on the couch, his back now facing the hall as he waited for Sakura to return.

As Sakura stepped into her room, she noticed Itachi sitting calmly on her bed. She offered him a smile before handing the scroll to him, letting him read it over.

"Aa." He said after reading it, setting the scroll beside him. Sakura rolled her eyes again before extending her hand out to him.

"You Uchiha's and your one syllable responses." She said with a smirk as he took her hand into his and standing up.

"Let's get this over with…" Her words were quiet as she led Itachi to the door and opened it, her hand still in his. She poked her head out of the door, looking towards Naruto and Sasuke who were both silent. At the sound of the door opening, Naruto looked over his shoulder at her, raising a blond eyebrow in question.

"Naruto… please don't freak out or anything… ok?" She asked hesitantly as she stepped further out of her room.

"Sure, Sakura-chan!" He said as he stood up, walking so he was standing on the other side of the coffee table. Sakura took another deep breath the released it before tugging on Itachi's hand, pulling him out into the hallway. She watched Naruto's face closely as Itachi came into his view, noticing Sasuke tense as he watched their blond teammate as well. He looked ready to pounce if need be.

Naruto's eyes widened in shock before he blinked rapidly as if trying to clear his eyes of the phantom before him. Sakura walked down the hall, Itachi walking behind her, out into the living room.

"You can't be serious! Are you really hiding an Akatsuki member?!" Naruto's voice rose with each word spoken as he backed away from the older Uchiha who was now standing at Sakura's side.

"Naruto… you said you wouldn't freak out. There is a really good reason why Itachi-san is here, please just sit down and let us explain this to you. That is why you are here after all." Sakura's eyes flickered to Sasuke, their eyes meeting fleetingly before Sasuke stood up and took a step towards the blond.

"Dobe, just sit down and be quiet." He stated rather flatly, shoving Naruto towards the chair he had just vacated. The blond grumbled as he sat down reluctantly, crossing his arms like a pouting child.

Sakura walked around the couch, Itachi trailing behind. She took a seat in the middle of the couch, dragging the older Uchiha to sit beside her, the furthest seat away from Naruto. Their hands were still clasped together, this time Sakura needing the comfort. This was not going to be an easy task to try and explain everything to the very person who was a target for the Akatsuki.

Sasuke walked to the other side of the living room and leaned back against the wall, hands shoved in his pockets as he waited for the talking to begin. Sakura let out a slow breath as she thought of where to begin.

**_::_**

It took Sakura nearly two hours to explain everything to Naruto who kept interrupting to ask questions. At some point during the explanations, Sasuke had gotten irritated Naruto and duct taped his mouth shut until Sakura had finished the story. Itachi chuckled lightly, barely audible to anyone else other than Sakura. When she had finally finished her explanation she sat back into the couch looking physically warn. She understood her Shishou's reasons for wanting Naruto to know but she couldn't figure out why she didn't at least warn him first.

"So… Uchiha there… ex-Akatsuki member who chased after me to try and extract the Kyuubi, who massacred his own clan and ruining Teme's life is actually innocent and I should just accept that?" Naruto asked slowly looking from Sasuke to Sakura, avoiding Itachi at all costs.

"Um… basically, yeah." Sakura said simply as she finally released Itachi's hand. He hadn't said one word since Naruto arrived and she was thankful for that. She didn't know how her blond friend would react if Itachi tried to defend himself.

"What about you, Sasuke? What do you think about all of this?" Naruto asked, his hands folded behind his head as he sat back in the chair that Sasuke had shoved him in. He watched as Sasuke shrugged slightly before speaking.

"I want those who are at fault for this to be held responsible. Nothing more, nothing less." His answer was simple and yet cryptic, his hands remaining in his pockets. He hadn't budged one inch except for when he taped Naruto's mouth closed.

"I don't like it but if my teammates and even Grandma Tsunade are ok with this, than I will accept it." His answer surprised everyone in the room. Sakura and Sasuke's heads snapped up, eyes wide as his words sunk in. Itachi sat back more into the couch, visibly relaxing as the tension in the room lifted.

No words were said for a long time, they all just sat with their thoughts until Itachi leaned forward again, taking Sakura's hand back into his. This action didn't go unnoticed by her teammates, both glaring at their linked hands.

"I do have one thing to say, if Tsunade-sama can prove and deal with the ones at fault thus granting my citizenship within Konoha once more, I would like to court Sakura-san." He turned so that he was facing her more, her eyes growing wider as she looked back at him, shocked from his clear statement of wanting to pursue a relationship to both Naruto and Sasuke. At that moment he had officially placed a claim over her.

"Itachi-san…" She began but he cut her off, placing the index finger of his free hand over her lips. He smiled at her, their eyes locking before he continued.

"I was speaking the truth when I said I feel something for you. I'd like to explore those feelings if given the chance to." He spoke in a hushed voice, meant only for her ears but the other two heard anyway. Sakura felt tears begin to form as she listened to him.

"Then let's hope and pray that Tsunade-Shishou can do it!" Sakura said in the same hushed tone as Itachi. She moved closer to him and slid her arms around his waist, her cheek now pressing against his collarbone. She felt his arms encircle her holding her close to him, making everything else in the room slip away. It was only them in their own world again.

Naruto and Sasuke watched in silence, unsure of what to say or even do. Sasuke knew it was coming, he had lost Sakura to his brother and there was nothing he could do to fix that. His only option now since his brother had openly declared his want for her was to let them be. Sakura deserved at least that much.

As Sakura sat comfortably in Itachi's embrace, Naruto and Sasuke looking on uncomfortably, they had no idea that the last person who could make or break this case had just entered the village. Naruto's Godfather and Mentor, Jiraiya.

**_::_**

**_End Chapter 24_**

_I hope you guys liked it. Like I said, I wanted Jiraiya to come back and for Naruto to find out about Itachi. Chapter 25 coming soon! Review~_


	25. Notice - Not a New Chapter

_Hey everyone!_

_I know you have all been patiently waiting for me to update and I appologize that I have not done so but I have good reason. I am in the process of moving so I have been pretty busy since my last post with packing and going through everything._

_I ask you to bear with me for a couple more weeks, I won't be actually moving until some time in February but I promise if I find some time soon I will try to post another chapter but for now I have to place my stories on hold until after I move._

_Again I appologize for not posting and I will get it done, I did not abandon anything!_

_Thank you for being my loyal readers~ You all deserve a cookie and a hug for your patience!_

_-Lylan._


	26. Chapter 25 - Light At The End

**_Chapter 25 – Light At The End Of The Tunnel_**

**_::_**

**_~Tsunade's Office~_**

Konoha's Godaime Hokage was still in her office, an empty bottle of Sake tipped over on her desk. As for the state of the Hokage, she was currently passed out, her face smashed against the wooden surface of her desk, arms dangling at her sides.

For Jiraiya this was a normal sight but even he knew that her being careless enough to pass out in the middle of working was irresponsible. As he stood across from her, arms crossed over his chest he sighed slowly before stepping around the desk preparing himself for the tantrum that she would surely throw. He had known her ever since the start and knew firsthand how temperamental she could get.

With a sigh he reached over to the blonde woman, placed her hand on her shoulder, shaking her gently. A slight groan came from the slumbering Hokage but she remained sound asleep, a paper noticeably stuck to her forehead. It took every bit of self-control for Jiraiya to not erupt into laughter, now was not the time to do so.

"Wake up Tsunade!" Jiraiya's voice boomed as he shook her a little harder trying to bring her out of her alcohol induced slumber. A disgruntled growl emanated from the blond but she still refused to wake. Jiraiya took a step back, crossing one arm over his chest, resting the elbow of his other arm on his hand, his chin propped up on the fist beneath his chin. She was clearly too deep to just wake up with a simple shake. No, this would take a little something extra.

A sinister smile spread across the Toad Sage's lips as he stepped close to Tsunade and bent over her. His left arm stretched out over the back of her chair, giving him leverage as he reached under her with his free right hand.

When he found what he was looking for, he began to fondle it, enjoying the action a little too much. As planned, this snapped the Godaime out of her drunken stupor. She sat bolt up straight in her chair and looked down at her chest, Jiraiya's hand groping at her breasts.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Tsunade growled dangerously low as she looked up at him, her honey colored eyes narrowing with her anger.

"Tsunade, my dear friend, I was trying to wake you up but alas you wouldn't so I had to resort to this method. It always works!" He smiled brightly as he released his hold on Tsunade's chest and took a step back, removing himself from within arm's reach of the ferocious blond.

"As much as I would love to pound you into the ground right now we have bigger issues to deal with. Since you are here I can assume you have received my message." She said after taking a deep breath and pushing her desires to pummel the Sannin.

"I did, you are correct, there is much to discuss." He replied, his face growing serious. He waited as Tsunade initiated a soundproof barrier around her office before she delved into what had been weighing on her mind the past few days.

**_::_**

**_~Sakura's Apartment~_**

Sakura had no idea what time she had fallen asleep the night before but when she awoke, the first thing she noticed was that she was not in her bedroom. She blinked a few times before her vision cleared enough for her to realize that she had fallen asleep in the living room, sprawled out on her couch, but something was different about the way she was currently resting. She was leaning against something that was warm and firm.

She lifted her head from where it had been lying, ignoring the ache in her neck. She looked up and behind her, smiling softly when she saw that she had fallen asleep on Itachi, who was currently still sleeping soundly beneath her, arms secured firmly around her waist.

Sakura tried to pull herself away from him but his vice like grip kept her in place. With a quiet sigh she gave up for now and let her eyes drift around the room. She didn't know when Sasuke had disappeared back into his room but after Itachi had made his declaration, she had pretty much gone oblivious to everything outside of the little world they fell into.

As her eyes fell onto Sasuke's usual chair, she noticed a tuft of blond sticking up by the bottom. That was odd; she never remembered that being there before. Her brow furrowed slightly as she lifted her head to get a better look at the origins of the tuft and what she found surprised her and yet at the same time, didn't.

Naruto was passed out on the floor on the other side of the coffee table. Lovely.

As carefully as she could she laid her head back down on Itachi's shoulder, taking care not to disturb his slumber. The words he had spoken the night before began to rush through her mind, bringing a smile to her face. If things worked out, she would have Itachi in her life but if not, she may never see him again. The thought of him leaving her behind just as Sasuke did caused her heart to pang slightly, no, she wouldn't think about that. She needed to stay positive, if at least for Itachi's sake.

She was brought out of her thoughts when she felt a hand move gently along her waist and up her spine. The touch caused a shiver to rush through her before she looked up, her eyes locking with the obsidian hues of the very man she was lying on.

"Good morning, Sakura-san." He spoke, his voice barely above a whisper. He offered her a soft smile, which she returned.

"Good morning, Itachi-san." She replied before sitting up and stretching. Naruto snored loudly causing both to look over at his sleeping form before sharing another humorous smile and getting up from the couch.

Sakura wandered into the kitchen and began to make breakfast for everyone while Itachi vanished down the hall and entering the bathroom. Moments later she heard the shower turn on and she smiled to herself.

She began to hum as she made eggs, bacon and pancakes, wondering how long it would take to lure Naruto out of his sleep. It didn't take long at all before his head popped up like a prairie dog, sniffing the air.

"That smells great, Sakura-chan!" He got to his feet and walked into the kitchen, taking a seat at the table.

"I'm glad you think so, Naruto." She turned around and smiled at him before finishing the last of the breakfast and moving it to the table, taking a seat beside him.

"So… you and Itachi huh? Do you like him?" He asked as he piled food onto the plate that was handed to him. Sakura stopped what she was doing for a moment as the upfront question caught her off guard before she resumed scooping food onto her own plate and answering.

"I do, there is something about him that is different than anyone else." She said, another smile playing on her lips as she took a bite of pancake.

"I trust you Sakura-chan and I know you won't do something stupid that could risk our lives. If you trust him and say he's ok, than I approve." He grinned at her, scratching behind his head before shoveling food into his mouth. Sakura giggled at his antics, looking up as Itachi came back into the kitchen, sitting down beside her.

"Mmffg Tkchi!" Naruto said around his full mouth, eliciting a raised eyebrow from the older Uchiha. Sakura giggled again before looking up at him.

"I think he said 'morning' but I can't be certain." She offered as she noticed his puzzled expression.

"Aa." Was his reply as he began to add food to his plate, smirking lightly. Before walking into the kitchen he had heard Naruto and Sakura's conversation. He was happy that her friends wouldn't abandon her if she chose to pursue a relationship with him.

Sakura was about to say something when they heard a door open than footsteps as Sasuke emerged from his dungeon. He eyed them all suspiciously before plopping down in a chair and fixing his own plate, not saying a word to anyone.

"Sasuke-teme, don't be so rude! Sakura-chan worked hard at making breakfast, the least you can do is thank her!" Naruto growled at his longtime friend and rival, earning a death glare from the youngest Uchiha.

'It's alright Naruto, don't worry about it." Sakura said quickly waving her hands around, trying to defuse the fight she saw coming.

"Don't defend him Sakura-chan, he needs to learn manors!" Naruto continued, ignoring Sakura's further protests.

"Whatever." Sasuke said as he looked away from Naruto, glaring daggers at his plate as if it had kicked his puppy.

Naruto was about to continue the argument when the sound of a hand smacking against something snapped their attention towards the source.

"Sasuke, have you really forgotten what mother has taught us?" Naruto and Sakura watched in slight horror, taking in Itachi's still raised hand that had just struck Sasuke on the back of his head. Sasuke turned his head painfully slow until he was looking up at his older brother, the look of pure hatred in his eyes.

"You do not get to speak of her you bastard!" Sasuke growled out, shoving his plate away before standing up and looming over Itachi who kept his face impassive.

"Sasuke! Calm down please!" Sakura said quickly, standing up as well, ready to intervene if she needed to but at that moment she wished she had just kept her mouth shut. Sasuke turned his hate filled eyes towards her.

"Shut up Sakura! You are just as bad for falling for him. He doesn't deserve the name of Uchiha and he doesn't deserve you! When I returned you were supposed to be mine and he managed to take even that away from me! You are just as annoying as you were when we were Genin." The words he spoke hit her harshly, causing her to take a step back. Naruto was up in a matter of seconds, his arms around her.

"Ignore him Sakura-chan, he's just jealous." He whispered to her, trying to keep her from saying something she'd regret. Unfortunately she didn't hear his words.

"You know what Sasuke? It wasn't Itachi who took me away from you; it was your entire fault! If you hadn't been such a selfish prick all those years ago maybe things would be different but he is the one I am interested in, not you! Get over yourself already!" She shouted back at him, her hands fisted tight enough to draw blood. She thought they had gotten past this again but apparently not.

Sasuke's mouth hung open slightly, not having anything else to say at that moment. Itachi had been silent through it but when his chair scraped against the floor indicating he was standing up, all eyes drifted to him.

"Foolish little brother, if someone means more than anything to you, it is your duty to protect that person and be there for them. Clearly Sakura meant something to you but you did just the opposite. She is important to me as well and I vow to protect her until I am no longer alive." He looked straight at Sasuke as he spoke, speaking deliberately so that his words were heard before he crossed the room to Sakura and took her into his arms, holding her to his chest.

Sakura's arms found their way around him, finding comfort as she buried her face in his shirt. Sure, she hadn't been with Itachi for that long but she felt something more for this Uchiha than all of the years she had known Sasuke.

"Sakura… I-" Sasuke's words were cut off as a sharp knock came at the door. They all exchanged looks before Naruto walked to the door and opened it, Itachi pulling Sakura further into the kitchen to hide from sight.

"Pervy Sage! What are you doing here?" Naruto's voice boomed with excitement after opening the door and seeing his godfather standing on the other side, grinning widely.

"I am here on official business but since this concerns you now, you are welcome to stay." He said as he stepped into the apartment followed closely by Tsunade. Sakura wiggled free from Itachi's grasp and walked from the kitchen towards the two visitors, a look of apprehension on her face.

"Shishou, Jiraiya-san!" She said closing the door behind them and locking it. Tsunade turned towards her apprentice and offered a tired smile.

"Where's the Uchiha?" She asked, looking around for Itachi. She didn't need an answer though as Itachi came into the living room and stood next to Sakura, his eyes flicking from Tsunade to Jiraiya.

"You are lucky, boy. Jiraiya was able to verify that you have been leaking information to him. He is willing to testify on your behalf. It looks like we have a way out of this and you will not be imprisoned." Tsunade said getting to the point. She never saw the reasons to beating around the bush, which Sakura was now grateful for.

"That's wonderful Shishou!" Sakura exclaimed, a wide smile spreading across her face as she turned to look at Itachi. He as well allowed an uncharacteristic smile appear as he pulled Sakura into another embrace, knowing that they would have a chance to be happy together now.

"Uh, is something going on between them?" Jiraiya asked as he leaned towards Naruto, an eyebrow raised at the open display of affection.

"You have no idea." Naruto replied his arms crossed over his chest, smiling as well.

**_::_**

**_End Chapter 25_**

_This chapter was more of a light hearted one, I know it isn't as long as my others but at least it's something! I plan on having at least 2 or 3 more chapters before this story will come to an end. I'm kinda sad to see it winding down but it can't go forever! Anyway, I hope you all enjoy it!_


	27. Word From The Author

_Readers of 'Sakura's Heart',_

_I am posting this notice to let you all know that I have really been trying to update this story but I have simply lost my train of thought on this one. I know that it has nearly come to an end anyway so I am going to just go ahead and end it here, for now at least._

_I have a couple other stories going at the moment that have pretty much taken over my concentration and as much as I feel bad about ending this one so abruptly, I just can't think of anything else to add at this time but someday, maybe later on this year I plan on re-writing this to add more detail and more of a storyline. After having read this through I noticed that there is a lack of a basic plot, its kinda boring._

_At that time I will re-open this story and will hopefully finally finish it like it deserves. I love my story alot and I am really proud of the fans that have read this story and reviewed! I appriciate every single one of you and I hope you read my others that are going on and possibly anything I publish in the future._

_Thank you for reading my first ever FanFiction,_

_Lylan Alainn Shade._


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